^^ 


^ 


BR  121  .146  1883 
Important  religious  truths 


M^ 


IMPORTANT 


RELIGIOUS  TRUTHS. 


COMPILED  BY 


/ 

KEY.    WALTER    P.    DOE. 


PROVIDENCE,  R.  I. 
A.  CRAWFORD  GREENE  &  SON,  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRINTERS. 

1883. 


PRnTOETOH 
MC.  NOV  1883 

•^r.. 


\-5 


PREFAGE. 


THE  OBJECT  STATED. 

The  author  and  compiler  of  the  following  miscella- 
neous truths,  publishes  them  because  they  seem  to 
him  to  be  of  transcendent  importance.  They  seem  to 
him  to  discuss  earnestly,  practically  and  briefly,  the 
most  momentous  subjects  which  can  occupy  the  at- 
tention of  the  human  mind.  And  in  the  numerous 
extracts  and  quotations,  he  has  endeavored  to  select 
the  best  thoughts  of  the  best  authors,  and  condense 
their  expression  into  the  briefest  form. 

Therefore  he  earnestly  solicits  their  careful  perusal 
from  those  into  whose  hands  they  may  providentially 
fall. 


iv  PREFACE. 

And  if  these  truths  shall  in  like  manner  commend 
themselves  to  their  impartial  and  honest  judgment, 
as  of  very  great  value  and  benefit,  demanding  their 
immediate  reduction  to  practice,  so  that  they  shall 
profit  by  them  in  their  personal  experience,  he  in- 
vites them  to  assist,  by  their  wide  and  free  circula- 
tion, in  the  promotion  of  the  principles  advocated  in 
them,  so  as  to  advance  the  religious  reformation  of 
Society,  and  prepare  men  for  heaven,  and  thus  glori- 
fy their  Creator. 

"  For  Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  hav- 
ing promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which 
is  to  come." 

Walter  P.  Doe. 
Providence,  R.  I.,  Jan.  1.  1883. 


s. 


PREFACE— The  Object  stated ...iii 

(1)  The  Truth  of  the  Bible  Proved. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Harmony  of  Nature  and  Revelation , 1 

CHAPTER  II. 
Harmony  Between  the  Doctrines  of  the  BIIdIc  and  Divine 

Providence 11 

CHAPTER  III. 
The  Divine  Inspiration  of  the  Bible * . .  16 

CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Character  of  Christ  of  Snpernatural  Origin 21 

CHAPTER  V. 
The  World  Without  Christ 25 

CHAPTER  VI. 
The  Good  Effects  of  Christianity  the  Best  Evidence  of 

Its  Divine^  Origin .SO 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The   False   Philosophy  and    Demoralizing  Influence  of 

Infidelity  Prove  that  it  Must  be  Untrue 39 


vi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Experimental  Evidence  of  the  Truth  of  Christianity 43 

CHAPTER  IX. 
The  Consistent  Christian  Life  the  Best  for  Time  and  the 

Safest  for  Eternity 56 

CHAPTER  X. 

Responsibility  for  Belief. . .    .  > 60 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Sincerity  Insufficient. 66 

(2)  God  and  His  Moral  Government. 

CHAPTER  XIL 
A  Supreme  Moral  Governor  Indispensable 78 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Perfect  Goodness  and  Severity  of  God  in  Government.     82 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Erroneous  Views  of  God  Corrected • .  • 86 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Mystery  of  Mysteries.     Sin  and  Suffering 90 

CHAPTER   XVI. 
Why  do  the  Best  of  Christians  Sometimes  Suffer  in  this 

Life,  More  than  the  Worst  of  Sinners 93 

(3)  Retribution. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Probation  Limited  to  the  Present  Life 97 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
No  Second  Probation  During  the  Intermediate  State,  or 

During  the  Sleep  of  the  Bodies  of  the  Dead 101 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Christ  and  Eternal  Punishment » 107 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Unreasonableness  of  Universal  Restoration  by  Chastise- 
ment and  Disciplinary  Education 117 

CHAPTER  XXL 
The   Consistency   of    Eternal   Punishment  with   God's 

Benevolence  and  Goodness 123 


CONTENTS.  vii 

(4)  True  Religion. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
The  Nature  of  True  Religion  Benevolent,  and  Voluntary 
Obedience  to  God,  Not  Merely  the  Excitement  of 

Right  Feelings 126 

CHAPTER  XXTII. 
The  Service  of  the  Lord  in  Secular  Duties 132 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
Who  are  the  Righteous? 136 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
Difference  Between  Morality  and  Religion 142 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
The  Mere  Moralist  Guilty  and  Condemned 145 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
Humility  and  Self  Estimation 148 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Full  Assurance  and  Witness  of  the  Spirit 152 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
Way  of  Eminent  Holiness 154 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
The  Highest  Practical  Piety 157 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

The  Christian's  Secret  of  a  Happy  Life 226 

CONCLUSION. 
Sermon — Divine  Message.    Text:  "I  have  a  message 
from  God  unto  thee.     Prepare  to  meet  thy  God. 
Be  ready.    The  time  is  short." 238 


^^So 


Nov  1 

■  > 


(L)  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 


CHAPTER  I. 
HARMONY  OF  NATURE  AND  REVELATION. 

There  is  harmony  in  the  teachings  of  Nature  and 
divine  revelation.  Hence  it  appears  that  ignorance 
and  depravity  are  the  chief  causes  of  infidelity. 

Although  revelation  is  necessarily  added  to  the 
light  of  nature  that  men  may  learn  to  worship  their 
Maker  and  the  duty  of  benevolence  towards  men,  the 
truthfulness  of  Christianity  is  entitled  to  and  demands 
our  belief,  chiefly  on  account  of  its  holy  and  reforma- 
tory influence,  in  proportion  as  men  embrace  and 
practice  its  perfect  laws  and  holy  precepts.  The 
Scriptures  must  have  been  written  by  good  men  or 
bad  men,  or  by  God  himself.  But  good  men  could 
not  have  been  guilty  of  false  pretences  in  writing  it; 
bad  men  would  be  unwilling  and  incapable  of  writing 
such  a  holy  book,  which  condemns  all  sin  and  their 
souls  to  hell  forever.  Therefore,  the  Holy  Scriptures 
1 


2  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

must  have  been  written  by  holy  men  under  divine 
inspiration  for  the  religious  instruction  of  the  human 
family.  And  all  who  will  follow  Christ's  perfect  ex- 
ample and  obey  his  perfect  precepts  may  test  the 
truth  of  Christianity  in  their  own  experience,  that  it 
makes  them  holier  and  happier  here,  and  fits  them 
for  the  blessedness  of  heaven  hereafter. 

Hence  said  Jesus,  "  If  any  man  will  do  his  will  he 
shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God.'' 

Although  the  supreme  object  of  divine  revelation 
is  the  teaching  of  religious  and  spiritual  truth  for  the 
guidance  of  mankind  in  their  relations  to  God  and 
each  other,  its  incidental  allusions  to  physical  phe- 
nomena and  the  laws  of  Divine  Providence,  must 
ever  be  found  in  harmony  with  each  other  so  far  as 
finite  human  reason  can  comprehend  and  interpret 
correctly,  the  vast  and  infinite  subjects  to  which  they 
relate. 

But  as  our  investigations  into  the  works  and  word 
of  the  infinite  Jehovah  from  the  nature  of  the  case 
must  ever  be  limited,  we  must  always  expect  that  in 
science  and  religion  alike  there  must  be  "somethings 
hard  to  be  understood." 

In  both  nature  and  revelation  there  are  taught  im- 
portant facts  which  are  plain  and  easily  understood, 
but  in  each  are  unfathomable  mysteries. 

Both  being  the  product  of  the  same  infinite  mind, 
they  alike  bear  the  divine  impress.  If  there  are  pro- 
found and  insoluble  mysteries  in  the  works  of  the 
Creator,  it  is  reasonable  to  expect  them  in  His  holy 
word.  Therefore  to  deny  the  obvious  and  plain 
truths  of  either  because  there  is  mystery  or  seeming 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED.  3 

inconsistency  connected  with  them  is  very  unreason- 
able For  by  honest  and  diligent  study  we  may 
learn  enough  of  nature  to  be  of  great  practical  utility 
and  enough  of  revelation  to  secure  our  eternal  salva- 
tion. 

Dr.  Mclivaine  takes  broadly  and  boldly  the  ground 
that  "the  Holy  Scriptures  were  oiven  to  reveal  moral 
and  spiritual  truth,  and  it  is  no  part  of  their  object  to 
teach  the  truths  of  science,  upon  which,  consequent- 
ly, they  are  no  authority. 

He  further  says : 

"  These  allusions  in  the  Scriptures  to  physical  phe- 
nomena, in  order  that  they  should  be  absolutely  correct 
and  unchangeable,  must  have  been  made  in  forms  of 
expression  corresponding,  not  to  the  present,  but  to 
the  still  future  and  last  developments  of  science  ;  in 
which  case  they  would  have  been  unintelligible  to  us, 
and  to  how  many  of  the  coming  generations  of  man- 
kind we  cannot  tell.     .     .     . 

"  The  Scriptures  always  speak  of  natural  phenom- 
na  in  forms  of  expression  originally  derived  from  the 
impressions  which  they  make  upon  the  senses,  but 
often  modified  by  philosophical  conceptions  in  expla- 
nations of  them,  such  as  prevailed  at  the  time  among 
the  people  to  whom  the  revelation  was  communi- 
cated. For  certainly  it  was  no  part  of  their  object  to 
correct  these  impressions  or  conceptions,  however 
erroneous  they  might  be.     .     .     . 

"By  the  adoption  and  consistent  application  of 
this  principle  of  interpretation,  the  malignant  ene- 
mies of  true  religion — that  seed  of  the  serpent  who 
are  permitted  to  bruise  the  heel  of  the  seed  of  the 


4  THE  TRUTH   OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED. 

woman  whilst  he  crushes  their  heads — would  be  de- 
prived of  their  deadliest  fangs." 

"  When  we  speak  of  Nature/'  says  Dr.  Parr,  "  we 
mean  all  the  works,  visil.le  and  invisible,  in  the  uni- 
verse of  God.  These  works  have  from  very  remote 
ages,  been  the  subject,  more  or  less,  of  human  inves- 
tigation. As  advatices  were  made,  and  new  discov- 
eries  disclosed  what  were  supposed  to  be  new  facts, 
were  formulated  and  set  down  as  scientific  truths  to 
stand  as  accejited  science  until  some  subsequent  in- 
vestigator comes  along,  upsets  them  and  proves  posi- 
tively that  something  else  was  the  accepted  truth  of 
science.  Thus  investigation  has  gone  on,  deepening 
and  widening  and  increasing  with  the  years,  uniil  at 
the  present,  scientific  research  has  reached  a  point 
of  thoroughness  and  correctness  never  before  at- 
tained. 

'*  Investigators  properly  rank  as  theistic  and  athe- 
istic. The  former  pursue  their  course  into  Nature's 
mysteries  'as  seeing  Him  who  is  invisible,'  setiking 
truth  for  its  own  sake,  and  recognizing  God  as  the 
author  of  all  truth,  scientific  as  well  as  revealed, 

^' The  latter  class  of  investigators  have  a  theory  to 
establish,  and  to  this  end  and  this  alone  Ihey  work. 
That  theory  excludes  God  from  the  universe.'' 

Hume,  the  historian,  gives  a  comfortless  view  of 
the  sober,  honest  thoughts  of  a  godless  philosopher. 
He  says;  ^' I  am  affrighted  and  confounded  with 
that  forlorn  solitude  in  which  I  am  placed  by  my 
philosophy.  When  I  look  abroad,  I  forsee  on  every 
side  dispute,  contradiction,  and  distraction,  I  find 
nothing  but  doubt  and  ignorance.     Where  am  I  or 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED.  5 

what?  From  what  cause  do  I  derive  my  existence, 
and  to  what  condition  shall  I  return  ?  I  am  con- 
founded with  these  questions,  and  begin  to  fancy  my- 
self in  the  most  deplorable  condition  imaginable,  en. 
vironed   with    the    deepest    darkness." 

Such  are  some  of  the  legitimate  results  of  the 
brightest  intellectual  attainments  in  philosophy  and 
science  when  unaccompanied  by  the  light  of  revela- 
tion. 

Considering  the  definition  of  Nature  given  in  the 
outset  of  this  article  practically  correct,  we  ask  what 
are  the  laws  of  Nature  about  which  we  hear  so  much 
said,  and  through  and  by  which  the  great  works  of 
the  universe  are  accomplished  ?  In  the  sense  of  qual- 
ities inherent  in  matter,  laws  or  properties  impressed 
on  matter,  there  is  no  such  thing.  It  is  simply  the 
will  and  voice  of  God  crystalized  or  materialized  with 
reference  to  physical  things.  Their  harmonious  opera- 
tion is  but  the  will  of  God  tangibly  expressed,  one  form 
of  revelation.  A  correct  knowledge  of  natural  or  phys- 
ical truth  is  not  as  easily  obtained  nor  as  readily  un- 
derstood as  of  revealed  truth,  but  God  is  the  Author 
of  both. 

It  is  properly  conceived  that  an  all-wise  Author 
should  not  contradict  himself.  Revelation  says — 
**  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  Heaven  and  the 
Earth."  And  that  "  God  formed  man  of  the  dust  of 
the  ground  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath 
of  life  and  he  became  a  living  soul."  Some  say  they 
have  obtained  more  rational  and  reliable  explanation 
than  this,  from  the  book  of  Nature.  They  tell  us 
that  matter  is  eternal,  and  that  some  time  in  the  very 
1* 


6  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED. 

far  distant  past,  by  some  kind  of  fortuitous  coming 
together  of  particles  the  Sun,  Moon,  Stars  and  Earth 
wirli  all  their  satellites  and  with  all  their  beautiful 
arrangements  for  day  and  night  and  the  seasons  were 
ertected  and  organized ;  that  man  has  his  origin  at 
the  bottom  of  the  ocean  in  a  little  moneron,  and  had 
to  travel  for  ages  through  myriad  species  of  animals, 
clean  and  unclean,  to  reach  his  present  state.  We 
can't  help  feeling  a  desire  to  say,  how  do  you  know 
all  this?  But  it  has  been  demonstrated  that  the 
mingling  of  sea-water  with  alcohol  gave  a  feculent 
precipitate,  which  when  separated  from  the  liquid 
proved  to  be  the  identical  meneron  of  Haeckel  and 
protoplasm  of  Huxley — the  Adam  and  Eve  of  all  life, 
according  to  advanced  modern  science.  It  is  but  a 
precipitated  sulphate  which  any  chemist  can  produce 
at  will  in  his  laboratory.  This  experiment  was 
shown  to  Prof.  Huxley  and  which  forever  blasted 
that  scientific  delusion.  It  is  claimed  by  atheists  that 
geology  and  paleontology  contradict  the  Scriptural 
account  of  creation.  But  the  Bible  was  never  given 
to  teach  geology,  paleontology,  astronomy  nor  any 
other  branch  of  philosophy  or  physical  science,  and 
80  it  is  not  authority  on  these  subjects.  It  was  in- 
tended to  reveal  moral  and  spiritual  truths.  Suppose 
in  those  early  days  before  there  was  any  physical 
science  properly  so-called,  and  when  the  world  be- 
lieved in  the  geocentric  system  of  the  physical  uni- 
verse, the  Bible  had  assumed  to  be  scientific  authori- 
ty on  all  subjects  to  which  it  made  allusion,  and  had 
spoken  in  strictly  modern  scientific  terms,  it  is  mani- 
fest  that  it  would  have  been  wholly  unintelligible  to 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED.  7 

the  former  generations  of  man.  And  perhaps  not 
much  less  so  to  us,  as  science  is  continually  chang- 
ing  its  nomenclature  and  terms  of  expression,  and 
God  only  knows  when  it  will  arrive  at  any  deiinite 
standard  or  the  exact  truth.  To  say  the  sun  rises 
and  sets  was  a  proper  and  well-understood  expres- 
sion in  the  days  of  Joshua,  as  well  as  now  ;  and  if  he 
had  commanded  the  earth  to  stand  still  instead  of  the 
sun,  he  would  have  been  thought  a  lunatic  and  treat- 
ed worse  than  Galileo  was. 

Scientific  terms  and  theories  will,  perhaps,  always 
be  more  or  less  in  a  state  of  mutation.  Before  the 
days  of  Galileo  the  earth  was  thought  to  be  immova- 
ble and  the  heavenly  bodies  to  revolve  around  it. 
Before  Dr.  Priestly's  discovery,  in  1774,  oxygen  and 
gaseous  bodies  were  considered  only  modes  of  com- 
mon air.  The  arteries  in  the  human  body  were 
thought  to  contain  air  until  Harvey  made  the  discov- 
ery that  they  carried  the  oxygenated  blood.  Light, 
heat,  electricity  and  even  life  have  been  considered 
only  modes  of  motion,  but  now  are  proven,  thank 
God,  in  the  "  Problem  of  Human  Life  "  to  be  sub- 
stantial entities. 

The  wave-theory  of  sound,  centuries  old,  taught 
throughout  the  scientific  world,  as  a  settled  and  un- 
alterable scientific  truth  is  now  numbered  among 
the  exploded  scientific  humbugs  of  the  past.  Evolution 
as  taught  by  Darwin,  Haeckel,  Huxley  and  others, 
and  thought  by  its  friends  to  be  impregnable,  has  also 
been  utterly  demolished  and  its  champions  are  now 
afraid  to  open  their  mouths  or  make  a  scratch  with 
their  pens  in  its  defense. 


8  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBI.E  PROVED. 

These  exploded  scientific  theories  are  like  the 
devils  that  entered  the  swine— their  name  is  legion. 
Lyell  says  that  in  1806  the  French  institute  named 
not  less  than  eighty  geological  theories  that  were 
hostile  to  the  ScriptureS;  but  not  one  of  them  are 
held  now.  The  president  of  the  British  Scientific 
Association,  and  the  vice-president  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Natural  Science,  have  admitted  that  the 
''whole  foundation  of  theoretic  geology  must  be  re- 
constructed." When  scientists  agree  among  them- 
selves it  will  be  time  to  proclaim  a  conflict  between 
Nature  and  Revelation,  and  to  ask  us  to  lay  down 
our  Bibles  that  have  guided  millions  to  the  heavenly 
world  and  accept  their  ever  changing  theories  in- 
stead. We  are  not  afraid  of  scientific  truth.  Let  it 
come.  It  only  adds  more  light  and  proves  the  unity 
of  the  Divine  Saviour  and  the  Great  God  of  Nature. 

When  men  know  the  real  truths  of  science  and 
their  relation  to  eacti  other,  there  will  appear  no  con- 
flict, but  the  harmonious  blending  of  evidence  of  the 
existence  and  efficient  presence  of  the  one  Eternal 
God.  Philosophers  will  then  say  with  David  "  the 
heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God  and  the  firmament 
showeth  His  handiw^ork."  Scientists  will  join  Paul 
in  saying,  "the  invisible  things  of  Him  from  the 
creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  under- 
stood by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  His  eternal 
power  and  Godhead."  And  all  men  will  say  truly,  it 
was  a  fool  that   "  said  in  his  heart  there  is  no  God." 

And  we  can  reasonably  believe  the  doctrinal  teach- 
ings of  the  Bible  on  all  religious  subjects,  as  infallibly 
inspired,  and  as  entirely  trustworthy  as  a  religious 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED.  9 

guide.  As  of  supreme  authority,  perfectly  trust- 
worthy, as  inspired  of  God.  Therefore,  after  learning 
its  perfect  authority  and  truthfulness,  we  are  ration- 
ally and  imperatively  bound  to  believe  all  its  divine 
teachings  as  of  ultimate  and  supreme  authority  in 
matters  of  doctrine,  though  it  teach  things  beyond 
our  finite  reason. 

An  eminent  and  aged  disbeliever  wrote  thus  to  a 
young  inquirer: — 

Sir:  I  am  very  busy,  and  am  an  old  man  in  deli- 
cate health,  and  have  not  time  to  answer  your  ques- 
tions fully,  even  assuming  tliat  they  are  capable  of 
being  answered  at  all.  Science  and  Christ  have 
nothing  to  do  with  each  other,  except  in  as  far  as  the 
habit  of  scientific  investigation  makes  a  man  cautious 
about  accepting  any  proofs.  As  far  as  I  am  con- 
cerned, I  do  not  believe  that  any  revelation  has  ever 
been  made.  With  regard  to  a  future  life,  every  one 
must  draw  his  own  conclusions  from  vague  and  con- 
tradictory probabilities.  Wishing  you  well,  I  remain 
your  obedient  servant,  Charles  Darwin. 

Down,  June  5,  1879. 

One  desires  that  some  one  else  could  have  cotem- 
poraneously  written  the  young  man,  as  Paul  wrote 
to  a  young  man  once,  in  those  infinitely  wiser  words: 

"  O,  Timothy  I  guard  that  which  is  committed  unto 
thee,  turning  away  from  the  profane  babblings  and 
oppositions  of  the  knowledge  which  is  falsely  so 
called  ;  which  some  professing  have  erred  concern- 
ing the  faith." 

Paul  was  an  old  man,  yet  when  the  day  of  his  de- 
parture was  at  hand  he  declared  his  joyful  expectancy 


10  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED. 

of  a  future  life  of  eternal  blessedness. 

He  wrote  to  his  beloved  Timothy,  his  son  in  the 
gospel,  thus : 

I  charge  thee  therefore  before  God  and  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead 
at  his  appearing  and  His  kingdom  ; 

Preach  the  word  ;  be  instant  in  season,  out  of 
season ;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort  with  all  long-suflfer- 
ing  and  doctrine. 

For  the  time  will  come  when  they  will  not  endure 
sound  doctrine;  but  after  their  own  lusts  shall  they 
heap  to  themselves  teachers  having  itching  ears ; 

And  they  shall  turn  Siwo^y  their  ears  from  the  truth, 
and  shall  be  turned  unto  fables. 

But  watch  thou  in  all  things,  endure  afflictions,  do 
the  work  of  an  evangelist,  make  full  proof  of  thy 
ministry. 

For  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of 
my  departure  is  at  hand. 

I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my 
course,  T  have  kept  the  faith : 

Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of 
righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge, 
shall  give  me  at  that  day:  and  not  to  me  only,  but 
unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing. 


CHAPTER  11. 

HARMONY  BETWEEN  THE  DOCTRINES  OF  THE 
BIBLE   AND   DIVINE  PROVIDENCE. 

(A.BSTRACT.) 

When  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  are  faithfully 
compared  with  the  established  order  of  Divine  Prov- 
idence, they  are  found  to  harmonize  with  each  other, 

"  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
firmament  showeth  His  handiwork." 

The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the 
soul ;  the  testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise 
the  simple.  The  Scriptures  declare  that  the  God  of 
Divine  Providence  is  also  the  God  of  Divine  Inspira- 
tion. The  God  of  Divine  Providence  and  the  God  of 
Grace  and  Redemption  is  the  same  Divine  Being.  All 
that  we  see  of  Him  in  His  providence  is  in  harmony 
with  what  we  see  of  Him  in  His  word.  His  providence 
and  His  word  never  contradict  each  other  or  misrep- 
resent their  Almighty  Author.  Therefore  all  the  ob- 
jections urged  against  God's  sovereign  grace  in  the 
christian  scheme,  lie  against  the  actual  order  of 
events  and  must  consequently  be  iuvalid  and  futile. 


12  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

It  seems  to  us  that  the  light  of  Nature  is  a  revela- 
tion of  existing  facts  in  the  universe  and  the  whole 
system  of  doctrines  in  the  Bible  is  a  revelation  of  the 
actually  existing  facts  of  Christianity.  The  doctrines 
for  example,  of  the  trinity  of  the  Godhead,  the  divine 
government,  human  depravity,  Christ's  atonement, 
spiritual  regeneration,  future  happiness  and  misery 
are  simply  statements  of  what  has  been,  of  what  is, 
and  what  will  be  in  the  divine  administration. 

In  illustration  of  this  truth  let  us  examine  the 
analogy  between  the  teachings  of  Nature  and  revela- 
tion, concerning  the  fact  of  human  apostacy. 

The  Scriptures  teach  us  that  the  single  transgres- 
sion of  Adam  was  the  beginning  of  that  long  train  of 
sin  and  wretchedness,  which  has  passed  upon  the  in- 
habitants of  our  world. 

Now  we  acknowledge  that  it  is  mysterious  to  us, 
how  a  perfectly  holy  being,  as  Adam  was,  should 
yield  to  temptation.  But  as  the  result  of  the  fall,  ob- 
servation confirms  the  teaching  of  revelation  that  "the 
heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  full  of  evil,  and  madness  is 
in  their  hearts  while  they  live."  And  this  Scriptural 
doctrine  concerning  the  consequences  of  Adam's  first 
sin  upon  all  his  posterity  is  in  harmony  with  the  law 
of  divine  providence. 

Witness  the  effect  of  the  drunkard's  conduct  upon 
his  relatives  and  descendants.  As  has  been  inquired, 
who  is  stranger  to  the  common  fact  that  bis  intem- 
perance wastes  the  property  which  was  necessary  to 
save  a  wile  and  children  from  beggary,  that  his  appe- 
tite may  be  the  cause  of  his  family  being  despised,  il- 
literate and  ruined,  that  the  vices  which  follow  in  the 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED.  13 

train  of  his  intemperance  often  encompass  his  off- 
spring, and  that  they  too  are  profane,  unprincipled, 
idle  and  intemperate  ? 

Again.  Let  us  notice  the  harmony  between  reve- 
lation and  divine  providence  in  reference  to  the 
atonement  of  Jesus  Christ. 

And  here  let  it  be  observed  that  the  Christian 
scheme  is  not  responsible  for  the  fall  of  man.  It 
finds  him  deeply  involved  in  sin,  entirely  destitute  of 
holiness  ;  and  proposes  a  remedy  for  an  existing  state 
of  evil.  It  proposes  by  the  doctrine  of  substitution, 
by  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  restore 
the  penitent  sinner  to  the  favor  of  God. 

Now  let  us  inquire,  is  it  not  according  to  the  anal- 
ogy of  Nature  that  calamities  which  are  hastening  to 
fall  on  us  are  often  put  back  by  the  intervention  of 
another?  In  illustration  of  this,  let  us  recur  to  the 
helpless    and    dangerous   periods    of   our    early   life. 

"  Did  God  come  forth  directly,"  asks  a  writer,  ^'and 
protect  us  in  the  period  of  infancy?"  Who  watched 
over  the  sleep  of  the  cradle  and  guarded  us  in  sickness 
and  helplessness  ?  It  was  the  tenderness  of  a 
mother,  bending  over  our  slumbering  childhood,  for- 
going sleep,  and  rest,  and  ease,  and  hailing  toil  and 
care  that  we  might  be  defended.  Why,  then,  is  it 
strange  that  when  God  thus  ushers  us  into  existence, 
through  the  pain  and  toil  of  another,  that  he  should 
convey  the  blessings  of  a  higher  life  of  blessedness  by 
the  groans  and  pangs  of  a  higher  Mediator  ?  Now 
we  affirm  that  in  every  instance  of  the  substituted 
Bufferings  or  self-denial  of  a  parent,  there  is  sufficient 
of  analogy  to  the  sufferings  of  Christ  for  us  to  show 
2 


14  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED. 

that  it  is  in  strict  accordance  with  the  just  govern- 
ment of  God,  to  remove  all  objections  to  the  peculiar- 
ity of  the  atonement. 

But  it  may  be  said  that  it  seems  unreasonable  that 
the  heathen  should  suffer  both  here  and  hereafter 
through  ignorance  of  this  atonement  without  a  knowl- 
edge of  which,  according  to  the  Bible,  none  can  be 
saved. 

The  heathen  obviously  are  not  guilty,  as  all  men 
are  in  christian  lands  who  do  not  seek  salvation 
through  Christ's  atonement,  but  they  lie  under  the 
curse  of  the  fall  and  their  own  personal  sinfulness, 
from  which  Christ  came  to  deliver  all  penitent  be- 
lievers.  Of  course  they  will  suffer  only  in  proportion 
to  theiF  sins  and  the  light  which  they  reject.  ''Where 
little  is  given  little  will  be  required." 

The  Hindoo  suffers  and  dies  under  the  rage  of  a 
burning  fever.  The  fault  is  not  that  he  is  ignorant  of 
the  virtues  of  quinine,  nor  is  he  punished  for  this  ig- 
norance of  its  healing  qualities,  but  he  is  lying  under 
the  operation  of  the  previous  state  of  thicgs,  from 
which  medicine  contemplates  his  rescue. 

"For  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with  God. 

For  as  many  as  have  sinned  without  law  shall  also 
perish  without  law  ;  and  as  many  as  have  sinned  in 
the  law  bhall  be  judged  by  the  law ; 

For  not  the  hearers  of  the  law  are  just  before  God 
but  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified. 

For  when  the  gentiles,  which  have  not  the  law,  do 
by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  these,  hav- 
ing not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves  ; 

Which  shew  the  work  of  the   law  written  in  their 


THE  TRUTH   OF   THE   BIBLE   PROVED.  15 

hearts,  their  conscience  also  bearing  witness,  and 
^/^eir  thoughts  the  mean  while  accusing  or  else  excus- 
ing one  another  ; " 

Still  further.  Let  us  contemplate  the  analogy, 
the  harmony,  between  the  demands  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  and  Divine  Providence,  in  reference  to 
the  doctrine  of  regeneration. 

The  Bible  teaches  that  without  a  change  of  heart  and 
life  none  can  be  saved.  And  we  all  know  that  men  often 
experience  a  sudden  and  most  important  change  and 
revolution  of  feeling  and  purpose  in  temporal  matters. 

Who  is  ignorant,  inquires  the  writer  above  quoted, 
that  from  infancy  to  old  age  the  mind  passes  through 
many  revolutions, — that  as  we  leave  the  confines  of 
one  condition  of  our  being,  and  advance  to  another, 
a  change,  an  entire  change,  becomes  indispensable,  or 
the  whole  possibility  of  benefiting  ourselves  by  the 
new  condition  is  lost.  He  who  does  not  change  the 
idle  and  playful  habits  of  childhood  into  habits  of  in- 
dustry as  he  enters  the  period  of  manhood,  will  com- 
monly find  his  hopes  of  accumulation  blasted  forever. 

We  ask  then  wdiy  some  revolution  similar  in  results 
(we  mean  not  in  nature)  should  not  take  place  in 
reference  to  the  passage  from  time  to  eternity  in  or- 
der to  render  his  condition  blessed  in  heaven? 

But  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  spiritual  change 
is  both  the  work  of  God  and  the  work  of  man.  Like 
all  other  mercies  this  great  blessing  hangs  on  the  will 
of  God.  "  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing."  But 
we  also  know  that  by  a  free,  voluntary  trust  in  the  Al- 
mighty grace  of  our  Saviour  we  shall  be  successful  in 
working  out  our  "  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling." 


CHAPTER  III. 
THE  DIVINE  INSPIRATION  OF   THE  BIBLE. 

(a.)      A   DIVINE  KEVELATION  NEEDED. 

The  light  of  nature  discloses  to  mankind  the  ex- 
istence of  their  Creator.  By  studying  His  works 
and  dispensations  they  may  learn,  not  only  His  self 
existence,  but  many  of  His  natural  attributes;  such  as 
eternity,  immutability,  omnipotence,  independence, 
omnipresence,  omniscience,  unity,  goodness  and  wis- 
dom. 

And  in  contemplating  these  fundamental  truths, 
they  may  learn  that  He  sustains  to  them  the  relation 
not  only  of  Creator,  but  of  Preserver,  Proprietor, 
Lawgiver,  Governor,  Final  Judge  and  Disposer. 
Having  these  facts  before  them,  they  may  learn  by 
the  appropriate  use  of  their  mental  and  moral  faculties 
that  he  justly  claims  their  confidence,  their  love, 
their  worship  and  their  service. 

But  while  the  light  of  nature  is  comparatively  ob- 
scure and  indefinite  on  these  points,  it  is  silent  on 
many  other  truths,  which  are  essential  for  men  to 
know,  in  order  to  the  attainment  of  the  highest  holi- 
ness and  happiness. 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED.  17 

We  imperatively  need  a  supernatural  revelation,  to 
teach  us  that  God  possesses  the  attributes  of  holiness, 
justice,  truth  and  mercy.  We  must  have  an  inspired 
volume  to  teach  the  moral  perfections  of  the  Lord  and 
the  plan  of  redemption  through  Christ,  as  well  as  the 
kind  of  worship  and  service  which  He  requires,  and 
the  destiny  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  beyond 
the  present  life. 

Without  a  revelation  of  the  Divine  will  we  cannot 
understand  why  our  present  existence  should  be  so 
short  and  uncertain,  or  why  our  journey  through  life 
should  be  so  often  beset  by  trials  and  afflictions. 
Without  the  Bible  we  are  incapable  of  gaining  any 
plausible  solution  for  the  Divine  permission  of  sin  or 
suffering;  neither  can  we  understand  why  his  justice 
and  benevolence  should  sometimes  doom  the 
righteous  to  greater  trials  than  the  wicked  in  this  life. 
It  is  reasonable,  therefore,  to  expect,  in  view  of  God's 
natural  perfections,  and  our  own  neeessitious  condi- 
tion, that  He  should  grant  us  a  written  revelation. 
Thus  we  are  prepared  to  appreciate  with  favor — the 

solemn  declaration  concerning  the  Holy  Bible. 

"  All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God." 
Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  if  they  were  moved  by 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Therefore,  the  Bible  must  be  plen- 
ary inspired  as  an  infallible,  trustworthy  guide  in  re- 
ligion. 

(6.)      INSPIRATION   DEFINED. 

The  plenary  inspiration  of  the  Bible  is  an  extraor- 
dinary Divine  agency,  operating  through  or  upon 
teachers   while   giving   instruction    whether  oral  or 


18  THE  TRUTH   OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED. 

written  by  which  they  were  taught,  what  and  how 
they  should  write  or  speak.  In  other  words,  in  writ- 
ing the  Sacred  Scriptures  ihe  penmen  were  perfectly 
under  Divine  guidance,  on  all  strictly  religious  sub- 
jects, and  wrote  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghoyt.  There  was  a  supernatural  guidance  or  as- 
sistance of  the  Holy  Spirit  afforded  to  the  sacred 
writers,  guarding  them  against  error  and  leading 
them  to  write  just  what  God  saw  to  be  suited  to  ac- 
complish the  ends  of  revelation. 

(C.)      PROOF  OF  DIVINE  INSPIRATION. 

The  sacred  writers  themselves  claimed  to  be  under 
the  indaence  of  Divine  inspiration  when  they  were 
employed  in  writing  the  Holy  Scriptures.  Those 
who  wrote  the  Old  Testament  declare  that  they  saw 
visions  ;  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  them  ; 
and  that  they  were  divinely  authorized  to  sanction 
their  warnings,  their  reproofs,  and  their  predictions 
with  a  ''  thus  saith  the  Lord," 

''  By  all  these  modes  of  expression,"  says  Dr.  Em- 
mons,  *'  they  solemnly  profess  to  have  written,  not 
according  to  their  own  will,  but  as  they  were  directed 
and  moved  by  the  Divine  Spirit.  And  this  testimony 
of  the  prophets  to  their  own  inspiration  is  fully  con- 
firmed by  the  united  testimony  of  the  apostles." 

(d.)      VALUE   OF  THE   BIBLE. 

If  the  Bible  is  an  inspired  book,  it  is  of  priceless 
value.  Nothing  can  be  more  important  than  an  ac- 
quaintance with  the  mind  of  God.     Hence,  this  vol- 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED.  19 

ume  mast  be  infinitely  more  precious  than  all  other 
books  combined.  No  wonder  then  that  the  devout 
Psalmist  should  exclaim  :  '^  0  how  love  I  thy  law  ; 
it  is  my  meditation  all  the  day.  How  sweet  are  thy 
words  unto  my  taste;  yea,  sweeter  than  honey  to  my 
mouth.  I  love  thy  commandments  above  gold ;  yea, 
above  fine  gold.  The  law  of  thy  mouth  is  better  un- 
to me  than  thousands  of  gold  and  silver.''  And  in  the 
nineteenth  Psalm  he  gives  his  reasons  for  this  high 
appreciation  of  the  word  of  God.  "  The  law  of  the 
Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul ;  the  testimony  of 
the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple.  The  stat. 
utes  of  the  Lord  are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart;  the 
commandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure,  enlightening  the 
eyes.  .  .  .  The  judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true 
and  righteous  altogether.  More  to  be  desired  are 
they  than  gold ;  yea,  than  much  fine  gold ;  sweeter 
,  also  than  honey  and  the  honeycomb." 

Again,  if  the  Bible  was  written  by  Divine  inspira- 
tion, it  is  an  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 
Whenever  we  have  any  uncertainty  about  the  cor- 
rectness of  our  doctrinal  sentiments  or  religious  duties 
we  can  here  learn  what  is  true  and  right.  The  law 
and  the  testimotiy  must  ever  be  our  supreme  coun. 
selor  and  perfect  guide.  We  can  never  be  justifiable 
in  appealing  from  Scripture  to  reason,  but  we  must 
always  appeal  from  reason  to  the  inspired  w^ord  of 
God.  Again,  if  the  Bible  was  written  by  inspiration, 
we  see  why  it  has  produced  such  a  wonderful  in- 
fluence in  the  world.  All  books  which  have  been 
published  have  had  but  little  influence  in  convincing 
pursuading  and  governing  men,  in  comparison  with 


20  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED. 

this  volume  of  inspired  truth.  When  attended  by  the 
spirit  it  has  converted  millions  from  sin  to  holiness. 

Again,  if  ''  all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of 
God,"  it  is  reasonable  that  its  sacred  pages  should 
bear  the  impress  of  Divinity.  All  human  productions 
are  marked  with  imperfections ;  but  a  book  composed 
by  the  Almighty  should  bear  the  marks  of  divine  per- 
fection and  divine  wisdom.  If  the  face  of  Nature  re- 
flects the  image  of  its  Creator,  it  is  reasonable  that 
His  inspired  word  should  bear  the  superscription  of 
its  Divine  Author. 

Thus  we  perceive  that  His  holiness  and  wisdom 
are  disclosed  in  the  prohibitions  and  penalties  of  this 
sacred  revelation.  This  book  gives  us  the  most  im- 
portant instruction,  which  we  could  never  learn  else- 
where. Has  it  not,  therefore,  every  internal  mark  of 
its  Divine  origin  and  authority  ?  And  shall  we  not  em- 
brace it  as  our  guide  in  life  and  support  in  death? 

Finally.  If  the  Scriptures  were  written  by  Divine 
inspiration,  all  are  bound  to  search  them,  that  they 
may  know  their  present  moral  character  and  their 
prospective  condition  in  the  future  world.  The 
Bible  plainly  teaches  that  all  men  are  either  righteous 
or  wicked,  saints  or  sinners,  that  there  is  a  radical 
distinction  between  him  that  serveth  God  and  him 
that  serveth  Him  not.  In  this  book  exceeding  great 
and  precious  promises  are  made  to  all,  who  are  striv- 
ing to  please  the  Lord  by  an  obedient  and  holy  life. 

And,  Oh,  what  deadful  threatenings  are  denounced 
against  impenitent  sinners,  to  be  inflicted  in  the  in- 
terminable  future.  "These  shall  go  away  into  eter- 
nal punishment:  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal." 


CHAPTER  lY. 

THE  CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST    OF    SUPERNATURAL 

ORIGIN. 

(extract.) 

What  think  you  of  the  Christ  ?  is  an  interrogation 
the  most  fundamental  and  all-engrossing  that  has 
ever  been  propounded  to  men.  For  more  than 
eighteen  centuries,  it  has  been  the  most  vital  question 
among  all  classes.  Even  unbelievers  cannot  let  it 
alone,  for  they  feel  that  their  eternal  well-being 
might  depend  upon  a  proper  answer  to  it. 

We  do  not  understand  by  Supernatural,  something 
contrary  to  all  means ;  but  that  which  is  super- 
human, and  above  the  common  laws  of  Nature.  We 
believe  that  the  Supernatural  comes  within  the  do- 
main of  law,  but  it  is  a  higher  law  than  any  with 
which  we  are  now  acquainted.  All  Nature  at  first 
originated  in  the  miraculous,  and  it  is  impossible  for 
the  world  to  get  rid  of  the  idea  of  miracle.  In  all 
this,  however,  we  believe  there  was  profound  method. 
The  mission  of  Christ  into  this  world  was  not 
without  means ;  but  it  was  the  grandest  methodical 
arrangement  of  which  man  can  form  a  conception. 


22  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED. 

The  Jews  did  not  originate  the  character  of  Christ, 
for  it  was  the  opposite  of  all  their  preconceived  ideas 
of  the  Messiah.  It  arose  far  above  any  conception  of 
which  the  Jewish  mind  was  capable.  It  could  not 
have  taken  its  origin  among  the  gentiles,  for  it  was 
entirely  too  Jewish  for  them.  That  it  did  not  origin- 
ate with  the  disciples  of  Christ  is  shown  in  the  fact 
that  even  after  His  resurrection  from  among  the 
dead,  it  required  miraculous  power  to  make  them 
fully  comprehend  the  completeness  of  His  character. 
We  must,  therefore,  conclude  that  the  character  of 
Christ  was  of  Supernatural  origin^  and  that  it  re- 
quired the  Great  Artist  to  present  to  the  world  such 
an  original  and  such  a  perfect  picture. 

The  teaching  of  Jesus  proves  His  divine  origin.  It 
can  not  be  said  of  Him  that  He  simply  taught  good 
things;  for  every  thing  he  taught  was  absolutely 
perfect.  At  the  conclusion  of  His  grand  sermon  on 
the  mount,  the  people  were  astonished  at  His 
teachings  ;  for  He  taught  with  authority,  and  Eot  as 
their  scribes.  The  first  seven  beatitudes  of  that  ser- 
mon should  convince  every  honest  mind  of  the  divine 
mission  of  Jesus. 

They  refer  to  traits  of  character  and  to  states  of 
mind,  and  are  paridoxical ;  for  the  world's  concep- 
tion of  the  man  who  is  superlatively  bleesed  has  always 
been  the  opposite  of  what  is  taught  in  them.  Tlie 
doctrine  was  new  and  strange  not  only  to  the  heathen 
world,  but  also  to  the  most  cultivated  students  of 
the  Jewish  faith.  The  truth  of  all  tliese  maxims  has 
been  fully  realized  by  all  that  have  accepted  and  prac- 
ticed them.     They  make  up  a  perfect  character. 


THE   TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED.  23 

The  life  of  Jesus  corresponded  to  His  teachings; 
for  He  perfectly  practiced  what  he  taught.  Not  a 
man,  among  the  keen-eyed  critics,  or  the  vilest  op- 
posers  of  Christianity,  has  been  able  to  produce  a 
single  instance  where  Jesus  violated  in  practice  what 
He  had  taught.  In  this  Jesus  stands  alone ;  lor  He 
is  the  only  teacher  who  has  a  perfect  practice,  and 
the  only  one  who  has  perfectly  practiced  what  he 
taught.  How  account  for  this  without  admitting  the 
divine  authority  of  Jesus  Christ? 

The  teaching  and  the  life  of  Christ  have  stood  the 
test  of  time.  What  has  become  of  the  philosophers 
who  were  contemporary  with  Jesus?  With  the  ex- 
ception of  a  very  few  they  have  gone  into  forgetful- 
ness,  to  be  heard  of  no  more  until  the  unfolding  of 
the  records  of  the  last  judgment.  What  has  become 
of  the  great  statesmen  of  Greece  and  Rome?  With 
the  exception  of  a  few,  they  too  have  passed  from  the 
records  of  time,  and  have  gone  into  the  shades  of  for- 
getfulness.  What  has  become  of  the  Jewish  doctors 
who  lived  in  the  days  of  Jesus?  Their  names  have 
also  perished,  and  they  have  left  but  few  foot-prints 
on  the  sands  of  time.  The  name  of  Jesus  acquires 
more  influence  day  by  day.  How  understand  this 
without  accepting  the  divinity  of  His  mission? 

The  admissions  of  those  not  favorable  to  Jesus  in 
His  day  are  sufficient  to  show  that  His  teaching  was 
of  superhuman  origin.  His  question  to  the  Jews 
about  the  baptism  of  John  silenced  them,  and  showed 
that  they  despised  the  truth.  They  admitted  that  he 
cast  out  demons,  and  tried  to  explain  it  away.  Ju- 
das, the  traitor,  understood  all  the  private  counsels  of 


24  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

Jesus,  and  he  went  to  the  chief  priests  to  confess 
that  he  had  betrayed  the  innocent.  The  wife  of  Pi- 
late  and  even  the  governor  himself,  pronounced 
Jesus  innocent.  After  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 
the  guard  came  into  the  city  to  report  the  fact,  and 
was  hired  by  the  Jewish  priests  to  tell  an  absolutely 
unreasonable  falsehood. 


CHAPTER   V. 
THE    WORLD    WITHOUT    CHRIST. 

In  support  of  this  truth  I  quote  the  following  ex- 
tract of  a  serraon. 

Matt.,  iv,  16  :  ^^  The  people  which  sat  in  darkness 
saw  a  great  light ;  and  to  them  which  sat  in  the  region 
and  shadow  of  death,  light  did  spring  up." 

If  during  our  lives  it  ha'd  always  been  day- 
light we  might  not  realize  how  much  we  are 
indebted  to  the  sun  for  light.  This  glow  and 
brightness  which  reveals  everything,  which  shows 
colors,  which  shows  us  the  path,  is  diffused 
in  the  atmosphere.  Present  when  the  sun  is 
obscured,  in-doors  as  well  as  out.  We  avail 
ourselves  of  it  without  thinking  of  the  sun,  and 
in  a  thousand  nooks  and  corners  when  the  sun  is  not 
visible.  We  would  not  know  but  that  it  belonged  to 
the  atmosphere,  an  inherent  part  of  it,  if  we  had  not 
experienced  the  darkness  of  night,  when  the  sun  is 
beneath  the  horizon,  and  then  witness  the  change  its 
rising  makes.  So  with  principles  of  ordinary  morali' 
ty  and  benevolence.  In  this  nineteenth  century  and 
in  this  land  of  ours,  these  principles  somewhat  dif- 
fused, known,  admired,  become  respectable,  many 
even  worldly  motives  for  practicing  them,  so  that 
very  many  practice  them  to  a  limited  extent  who  are 
not  disciples  of  Christ.  Such  men  are  apt  to  forget 
3 


26  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED. 

that  they  are  at  all  indebted  to  Christ  for  this  moral 
enlightenment  and  wide  diffusion  of  noble  sentiments 
and  influences.  Priding  themselves  on  their  morality 
and  benevolence  they  are  apt  to  say,  "  This  is  religion 
enough  ;  we  try  to  be  honest  and  kind;  we  are  under 
no  obligation  to  Christ,  and  have  no  need  of  a 
Saviour."  It  is  a  good  thing  for  such  to  go  back  and 
see  what  the  world  was  without  Christ,  even  as  re- 
gards ordinary  integrity  and  kindness.  Contrast  the 
opinions,  sentiments  and  practices  prevailing  when 
Christ  came,  with  the  precepts  He  gave,  and  the  ideal 
He  presented  of  character,  and  yon  will  see  how  w^ell 
the  text  expresses  it.  *''  The  people  which  sat  in  the 
darkness  saw  a  great  light  ;  and  to  them  which  sat  in 
the  region  and  shadow  of  death  light  did  spring  up." 
I  wish  to  help  you  to  realize  the  fact  that  we  then 
enjoy  this  wide  diffusion  of  the  principles  of  morality 
and  kindness,  because  Christ,  the  Son  of  Eighteous- 
ness  arose,  and  now  for  nearly  1900  years  His  moral 
influence  has  been  penetrating  and  gradually  affecting 
the  world's  thought.  This  enlightenmeat  is  by  no 
means  complete  yet.     It  is  still  going  on. 

1,  Contrast  the  opinions  prevailing  among  men  at 
the  time  Christ  came,  with  the  principles  He  laid 
down  concerning  our  duty  to  God.  True  moral  in- 
tegrity and  conscientious  living  was  unknown.  What 
would  you  expect  when  in  the  Roman  empire.  State 
dictated  conscience  to  the  individual;  the  individual 
had  no  right  to  a  conscience ;  conception  of  heathen 
gods  was  simply  projections  and  personifications  of 
passions  of  the  human  heart.  As  gods,  so  people. 
Therefore  society  was  a  scene  of  mutual  distrust  and 


i 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED.  27 

hatred,  refined  deceptions,  wicked  amusements,  glut- 
tonous debaucheries,  sanguinary  cruelty,  and  the 
most  corrupt  and  widespread  sensuality.  Seneca 
says  :  "  All  places  are  full  of  crimes  and  vices.  Men 
strive  in  a  port  of  horrid  competition  in  iniquity. 
Nor  are  crimes  committed  secretly.  They  walk  be- 
fore your  eye."^.  To  such  a  degree  has  wickedness 
been  public  and  become  strong  in  the  breasts  of  all, 
that  innocence  is  I  cannot  say  even  rare — it  has 
ceased  altogether  to  exist."'  The  ruins  of  Pompeii, 
with  their  relics  and  frescoes,  testify  to  the  corruption 
of  those  days;  the  reigns  of  Tiberius  and  Nero — the 
very  embodiments  of  sensuality,  cruelty  and  of  every 
vice  ;  the  enjoyment  of  the  populace,  men  and  women 
over  the  sickening  conflicts  of  thousands  of  gladia- 
tors. And  what  were  the  homes  of  those  days?  Alas  ! 
there  was  no  such  thing  as  home.  The  word  "  fami- 
ly "  to  the  ear  of  a  Roman  meant  a  multitude  of  idle, 
corrupt  and  corrupting  slaves,  kept  in  subjection  by 
the  lash,  ready  for  any  treachery  and  reeking  with 
every  vice.  It  meant  a  despot  who  could  kill  his 
slaves  when  they  were  aged,  and  expose  his  children 
when  they  were  born ;  it  meant  matrons  among  whom 
virtue  was  rare  and  divorce  frequent;,  it  meant 
children  spectators  from  their  infancy  of  insolence  and 
cruelty  and  servility  and  sin.  But  the  new  faith 
while  it  sanctioned  the  authority  of  parents,  checked 
their  despotism ;  it  made  marriage  sacred  and  indis- 
soluable ;  it  encircled  the  position  of  womanhood 
with  all  that  was  pure  and  divine  and  tender  in  the 
name  of  mother  and  wife.  For  families  in  which, 
like    sheltered  flowers,    spring  up  all  that    is  purest 


28  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED. 

and  sweetest  in  human  lives ;  for  marriage  exalted 
to  almost  sacramental  dignity ;  for  all  that  circle  of 
heavenly  blessings  which  result  from  a  common  self- 
sacrifice  ;  for  the  beautiful  unison  of  noble  manhood, 
stainh^ss  womanhood,  joyful  infancy,  and  uncontami- 
nated  youth.  In  a  word,  for  all  there  is  of  divinity 
and  sweetness  in  the  one  word  home.  For  this,  to  an 
extent  which  we  can  hardly  reahze,  we  are  indebted 
to  Christianity  alone.  If  any  one  wants  to 
read  a  brief  but  plain  and  firm  portrayal  of  that 
heathen  society  in  Christ^s  day,  let  him  read  Romans 
Ist.  A  master  sketch  confirmed  thus  by  secular  histo- 
ry. The  Jews  were  somewhat  better,  perhaps  but 
with  them  ceremonialism,  sacrifices  offered,  no  change 
of  wuU,  asceticism,  morbid  withdrawal  from  men,  clear- 
ly indicated  that  the  Pagan  and  Jewish  world  sat  in 
darkness,  but  yet  Christ  came  like  the  sun  into  this 
moral  midnight.  He  spoke  of  God's  holiness  requir- 
ing purity  and  righteousness.  He  reiterated  and  un- 
folded the  divine  law,  showed  how  it  extended  to  the 
heart.  His  beatitudes,  shafts  of  morning  light;  and 
not  in  word  only,  but  in  deed  also.  He  embodied 
this  pure  and  heavenly  morality,  in  which  men  have 
never  been  able  to  find  a  flaw,  and  which  impresses 
the  more  we  ponder  it. 

II.  But  if  so  as  to  personal  integrity,  how  as  to 
duty  to  our  fellow  man?  Here  is,  also,  the  greatest 
possible  contrast  between  Christ^s  teachings  and 
spirit  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  prevailing  opinions 
of  His  day  on  the  other.  When  he  came  the  world 
was  utterly  and  outrageously  selfish.  Principal  na- 
tions each  regarded  themselves  so  superior  to  foreign- 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE    PROVED.  29 

ers  that  foreigners  were  considered  as  made  for  their 
benefit.  Thus  the  Greeks  regarded  ar^d  despised  all 
others,  even  Egyptians  and  Romans,  as  barbarians. 
Humanity,  only  human  race  or  culture.  Socrates 
thanked  the  gods  daily  that  he  was  man,  not  beast ; 
Greek,  not  barbarian.  The  Romans  considered  all 
others  foes.  The  Jews  thought  they  had  the  exclu- 
sive possession  of  Jehovah's  promises  ;  they  thought 
God  created  the  world  on  their  account.  Selfishness 
everywhere.  No  charity,  but  contempt  for  the  poor 
and  suffering  multitudes.  The  rich  did  not  think  of 
building  a.sylums,  hospitals,  orphanages ;  but  the 
strong  everywhere  derided  and  oppressed  the  weak. 
Pity  and  gentleness  were  almost  unknown,  and  disin- 
herited love  in  the  Christian  sense,  a  stranger  to  the 
earth.  How  like  the  sunrise  then  came  Christ 
preaching  the  truth,  that  God  is  the  Father  of  all  men 
and  that  all  men  are  brothers.  What  a  world  of 
fresh  and  glorious  light  poured  in  when  He  said,  ''  I 
am  annointed  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor. 
Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden." 
No  class  or  condition  were  exempt;  all  were  invited 
to  draw  nigh  and  receive  the  blessing  they  needed. 
Where  will  you  find  such  principles  of  self-sacrifice 
as  were  embodied  in  Christ  and  illustrated  in  His 
every  action  and  word?  You  can  readily  see  how 
Christ  could  not  have  been  the  outgrowth  of  the  age 
in  which  He  lived. 

"  From  heaven  He  came,  of  heaven  He  spoke, 
To  heaven  He  lead  His  followers'  way ; 
Dark  clouds  of  gloomy  night  He  broke 
Unveiling  an  immortal  day." 
3* 


CHAPTER  yi. 

THE  GOOD  EFFECTS   OF  CHRISTIANITY  THE  BEST 
EVIDENCE  OF  ITS  DIVINE  ORIGIN. 

(extracts.) 

All  candid  readers  of  the  Bible  readily  perceive 
that  it  teaches  true  piety  toward  God,  and  strict 
morality  in  all  human  relations.  ''  For  all  scripture 
is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for 
doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in 
righteousness."  And  it  has  produced  the  best  moral 
effects  in  improving  and  reforming  nations  and  in- 
dividuals. ''In  the  judment  of  candid  observers,"  as 
a  writer  has  observed,  "it  has  changed  the  condition  of 
those  nations  which  have  embraced  it,  and  intro- 
duced a  degree  of  knowledge,  of  morality,  of  civiliza- 
tion and  of  domestic  happiness,  of  which  there  was 
no  experience  before  its  appearance." 

It  has  humanized  the  general  manners,  and  pro- 
duced many  individual  examples  of  virtue,  to  which 
no  other  religion  can  present  a  parallel.  It  has  clear, 
ly  shown  itself  to  be  a  safe  and  effective  guide  for 
men  in  all  their  relations  to  God  and  each  other. 
Hence  we  may  safely  and  with  confidence  appeal  to 
the  good  moral  effects  of  the  gospel  for  evidence  of 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED. 

its  truth.  In  confirmation  of  this  proposition  I  will 
here  quote  an  extract  from  a  forcible  and  popular 
author.     Says  this  writer  : 

''The  effects  of  the  gospel  is  the  evidence  to  which 
the  sacred  writers  appeal  for  its  inspired  truth  as  a 
divine  revelation.  The  effect  is  seen,  first,  in  the 
conversion  of  sinners,  to  God  of  all  classes,  ages  and 
conditions,  when  all  human  means  of  reforming  them 
have  utterly  failed.  Second,  in  its  giving  them 
peace,  joy  and  happiness,  and  in  transforming  their 
lives.  Third,  in  making  them  different  men — in  mak- 
ing the  drunkard  sober,  the  thief  honest,  the  licen- 
tious pure,  the  profane  reverent,  the  indolent  indus- 
trious, the  harsh  and  unkind  gentle  and  kind,  and  the 
wretched  happy.  Fourth,  in  its  diffusing  a  mild  and 
pure  influence  over  the  laws  and  customs  of  society, 
and  in  promoting  human  happiness  everywhere." 

And  in  regard  to  this  evidence  to  which  the  sacred 
writers  appeal,  we  may  observe,  first,  that  it  is  a  kind 
of  evidence  which  any  one  may  examine,  and  which  no 
one  can  reasonably  deny  It  does  not  need  labored,  ab- 
struse argumentation,  but  it  is  everywhere  in  society. 
Every  man  in  Christian  countries,  has  witnessed  the 
effects  of  the  gospel  in  reforming  the  vicious,  and  no 
one  can  deny  that  it  has  this  power.  Second,  it  is 
a  mighty  display  of  the  power  of  God.  There  is  no 
more  striking  exhibition  of  his  power  over  mind  than 
in  a  revival  of  religion.  There  is  nowhere  more 
manifest  demonstration  of  his  presence  than  when  in 
such  a  revival  the  proud  are  humbled,  the  profane 
are  awed,  the  blasphemer  is  silenced,  and  the  profli- 
gate, the  abandoned,  and  the  immoral  are  converted 


32  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED. 

unto  God  and  are  led  as  lost  sinners  to  the  same 
cross  and  find  the  same  peace.  Third,  the  gospel  has 
thus  evidenced  from  age  to  age  that  it  is  from   God. 

Every  converted  sinner  furnishes  such  a  demon- 
stration ;  every  instance  where  it  produces  peace, 
hope  and  joy,  shows  that  it  is  from  heaven.  In  every 
generation  God  furnishes  us  a  firm  and  solid  demon- 
stration that  the  Christian  religion,  which  demands 
our  belief,  is  from  heaven.  The  power  of  God  at- 
tends His  inspired  truth  in  transforming  His  people 
everywhere,  and  is  a  demonstration  that  is  irresisti- 
ble to  every  intelligent  and  really  candid  mind,  that 
the  religion  of  our  Lord  was  not  originated  by  mere 
human  device  or  plan,  but  by  Almighty  God  himself. 
And  his  power  is  manifest  in  changing  the  depraved 
heart  of  man  from  sin  to  holiness;  in  overcoming 
the  strong  propensities  of  our  nature  to  sin  ;  in  sub- 
duing the  soul,  and  making  the  sinner  a  new  creature 
in  Jesus  Christ.  Every  Christian  has  thus,  in  his 
own  experience,  furnished  demonstration  that  the  re- 
lierion  which  he  loves  is  from  God  and  not  from  man. 

Man  without  divine  grace  w^ould  not  subdue  these 
sins,  and  man  could  not  so  entirely  transform  the 
soul.  And  although  the  unlearned  Christian  may  not 
be  able  to  investigate  all  the  evidences  of  religion, 
although  he  cannot  meet  and  refute  all  the  objections 
of  science  or  philosophy  (falsely,  so  called),  although 
he  may  be  greatly  perplexed  by  the  seeming  discrep- 
ancies of  the  sacred  record,  or  by  the  seeming  contra- 
dictions of  new  developments  in  science,  yet  he  may 
have  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  his  own  ex- 
perience that  he  is  a  renewed  man  ;  he  may  have  the 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED.  33 

fullest  proof  that  he  loves  God,  that  he  is  different 
from  what  he  was  once,  and  that  all  has  been  accom. 
plished  by  the  religion  of  Christ.  The  blind  man 
that  was  made  to  see  by  the  Saviour,  might  have 
been  wholly  unable  to  tell  how  his  eyes  were  opened, 
and  unable  to  meet  all  the  cavils  of  those  who  might 
doubt  it,  or  all  the  cunning  and  subtle  objections  of 
physiologists,  but  one  thing  he  certainly  could  not 
doubt,  that  whereas  he  was  blind  he  then  saw. 

A  man  may  have  no  doubt  that  the  sun  shines,  that 
the  wind  blows,  that  the  tides  rise,  that  the  blood 
flows  in  the  veins,  that  the  flowers  bloom,  and  that 
this  could  not  be  except  it  was  from  God,  while  he 
may  have  no  power  to  explain  these  facts — no  power 
to  meet  the  objections  and  cavils  of  those  who  might 
choose  to  embarrass  him. 

So  men  may  know  that  their  hearts  are  changed 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  giving  efficacy  to  the  inspired 
word  of  God.  And  it  is  on  this  ground  that  humble 
and  unlearned  Christians,  in  all  ages  of  our  world, 
chiefly  depend  for  the  most  satisfactory  evidence  of 
the  absolute  truth  of  the  Christian  religion.  They 
know  they  love  God,  and  delight  in  his  service  in 
life,  and  they  know  that  on  such  evidence  of  His 
truth  they  may  safely  trust  the  redemption  of  their 
souls  in  death,  with  the  assurance  of  rising  to  new- 
ness of  life  in  the  morning  of  the  final  resurrection. 

'^  The  revelations  of  prophecy,"  observes  a  writer 
whom  I  quote  at  length,  in  closing,  "are  facts  which 
exhibit  the  divine  omniscience.  So  long  as  Babylon 
is  in  heaps,  so  long  as  Ninevah  lies  empty,  void  and 
waste  ;  so  long  as  Egypt  is  the  basest  of  kingdoms; 


34  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

so  loDg  as  Tyre  is  a  place  for  the  spreading  of  nets 
in  the  midst  of  the  sea ;  so  long  as  Israel  is  scattered 
among  all  nations  ;  so  long  as  Jerusalem  is  trodden 
Tinder  foot  of  the  Gentiles  ;  so  long  as  the  great  em- 
pires of  the  world  march  on  in  their  predicted  course, 
— so  long  we  have  proof  that  one  omniscient  Mind 
dictated  that  Book,  and  '  prophecy  came  not  in  old 
time  by  the  will  of  man.' 

"We  call  this  Bible  a  book,  but  here  are  sixty-six  dif- 
ferent books,  written  by  thirty  or  forty  different  men. 
A  man  may  say,  ^  I  do  not  believe  in  the  book  of 
Esther.'  Well,  what  of  that?  We  have  sixty-five 
others  left.  What  will  you  do  with  them  ?  A  man 
says,  '  I  find  fault  with  this  chapter  or  with  that.' 
Suppose  you  do  ?  If  you  were  on  trial  for  murder, 
and  had  sixty-six  witnesses  against  you,  suppose  you 
impeach  one  of  them,  i  here  are  sixty-five  left ;  im- 
peach another,  and  you  still  have  sixty-four;  impeach 
another,  and  you  have  sixty-three — enough  to  hang 
you  up  if  you  are  guilty.  Do  you  not  see  that  you 
cannot  impeach  this  Book  unless  you  do  it  in  detail  ? 
Each  book  bears  its  own  witness,  and  stands  by  itself 
on  its  own  merits ;  and  yet  eacli  book  is  linked  with 
all  the  rest.  Blot  out  one,  if  you  can.  I  am  inclined 
to  think  it  would  be  difficult  to  do  this.  This  Book 
is  built  to  stay  together  ;  it  is  inspired  by  one  Spirit. 

"The  authorship  of  this  Book  is  wonderful.  Here  are 
words  written  by  kings,  by  emperors,  by  princes,  by 
poets,  by  sages,  by  philosophers,  by  fishermen,  by 
statesmen  ;  by  men  learned  in  the  wisdom  of  Egypt, 
educated  in  the  schools  of  Babylon,  trained  up  at  the 
feet  of  rabbis  in  Jerusalem.     It  was  written  by  men  in 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED.  35 

exile,  in  the  deseri,  and  in  shepherd's  tents,  in  'green 
pastures'  and  beside  'still  waters.'  Among  its  authors 
we  find  the  fisherman,  the  tax-gatherer,  the  herds- 
man, the  gatherer  of  sycamore  fruit ;  we  find  poor 
men,  rich  men,  statesmen,  preachers,  exiles,  captains, 
legislators,  judges — men  of  every  grade  and  class. 
The  authorship  of  this  Book  is  wonderful  beyond  all 
other  books. 

"  And  what  a  book  it  is — filled  with  law,  ethics, 
prophecy,  poetry,  history,  genealogy,  medicine,  sani- 
tary science,  political  economy.  It  contains  all  kinds 
of  writing;  but  what  a  jumble  it  would  be  if  sixty- 
six  books  were  written  in  this  way  by  ordinary  men. 
Suppose,  for  instance,  that  we  get  sixty-six  medical 
books  written  by  thirty  or  forty  difi'erent  doctors  of  va- 
rious schools,  believers  in  allopathy,  homeopathy,  hy- 
pathy,  and  all  the  other  opathies,  bind  them  all  togeth- 
er, and  then  undertake  to  doctor  a  man  according  to 
that  book !  What  man  would  be  fool  enough  to  risk 
the  results  of  practicing  such  a  system  of  medicine? 
Or,  suppose  you  get  thirty-five  editors  writing  trea- 
tises on  politics,  or  thirty-five  ministers  writing  books 
on  theology,  and  then  see  if  you  can  find  any  leather 
strong  enough  to  hold  the  books  together  when  they 
have  got  through. 

"But  again,  it  required  fifteen  hundred  years  to 
write  this  Book,  and  the  man  who  wrote  the  closing 
pages  of  it  had  no  communication  with  the  man  who 
commenced  it.  How  did  these  men,  writing  inde- 
pendently, produce  such  a  book  ?  Other  books  get 
out  of  date  when  they  are  ten  or  twenty  years  old  : 
But  this  Book  lives  on  through  the  ages,  and  keeps 


36  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

abreast  of  the  mightiest  thought  and  intellect  of  every 

age- 

"  Again,  I  conclude  that  this  book  has  in  it   the 

very  breath  of  G-od,  from  the  effect  it  produces  upon 
men.     There  are  men  who  study  philosophy,  astron- 
omy, geology,  geography,  and  mathematics,  but  did 
you   ever   hear   a   man   say,   'I    was    an   outcast,   a 
wretched  inebriate,  a  disgrace  to  my  race,  and  a  nui- 
sance in  the  world,  until  I  began  to  study  mathemat- 
ics, and  learned  the  multiplication  table,  and  then 
turned  my  attention  to  geology,  got  me  a  little  ham- 
mer, and  knocked  off  the  corners  of  the  rocks  and 
studied  the  formation  of  the    earth ;  but  since    that 
time  1  have  been  happy  as  the  day  is  long ;  I  feel 
like  singing  all  the  time,  my  soul  is  full  of  triumph 
and  peace;  and  health  and  blessing  has  come  to  my 
desolate  home  once  more.'     Did  you  ever  hear  a  man 
ascribe  his  redemption  and  salvation  from  intemper- 
ance and  sin  and  vice  to  the  multiplication  table,  or 
the  science  of  mathematics  or  geology  ?     But  I  can 
bring  you  not  one  man,  or  two,  or  ten,  but  men  by 
the  thousand  who  will  tell  you,    '  I  was  wretched  ;  I 
was  lost ;  I  broke  my  poor  old  mother's  heart ;  1  beg- 
gared my  family ;  my    wife  was  broken-hearted  and 
dejected ;  my  children  fled  from  the  sound   of  their 
father's   footstep  ;  I  was   ruined,    reckless,   helpless, 
homeless,  hopeless,  until  I  heard  the  words  of  that 
Book!'     And  he  will  tell  you  the  very  words  which 
fastened  on  his  soul.     It  may  be  it  was,  '  Come  unto 
Me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest ; '   perhaps  it  was,    *  Behold  the  Lamb 
of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world;'  It 


THE  TRUTH   OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED.  37 

may  have  been,  '  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  should  not  perish  but  have  everlasting  life.' 
He  can  tell  you  what  the  very  word  was  which  saved 
his  soul.  And  since  that  word  entered  his  heart,  he 
will  tell  you  that  hope  has  dawned  upon  his  vision  ; 
that  joy  has  inspired  his  heart;  and  that  his  mouth 
is  filled  with  grateful  song.  He  will  tell  you  that  the 
blush  of  health  has  come  back  to  his  poor  wife's  faded 
cheek  ;  that  the  old  hats  have  vanished  from  the 
windows  of  his  desolate  home  ;  that  his  rags  have 
been  exchanged  for  good  clothes  ;  that  his  children 
run  to  meet  him  when  he  comes  ;  that  there  is  bread 
on  his  table,  fire  on  his  hearth,  and  comfort  in  .his 
dwelling.  He  will  tell  you  all  that,  and  he  will  tell 
you  that  this  Book  has  done  the  work.  Now,  this 
Book  is  working  just  such  miracles,  and  is  doing  it 
every  day.  If  you  have  any  other  book  that  will  do 
such  work  as  this,  bring  it  along.  The  work  needs 
to  be  done;  if  you  have  the  book  that  will  do  it,  for 
Heaven's  sake  bring  it  out.  But  for  the  present, 
while  we  are  waiting  for  you,  as  we  know  this  Book 
will  do  the  work  we  propose  to  use  it  until  we  can 
get  something  better.  And  the  best  thing  for  us  to 
do  is  to  bring  out  the  word  of  God,  and  let  the 
*  sword  of  the  Spirit'  prove  its  own  power,  as  it 
pierces  '  even  to  the  dividing  assunder  of  soul  and 
spirit.' 

"  Suppose,  for  example,  all  the  good  people  of  any 

community  should  try  the  Bible,  say  for  a  single  year. 

Suppose  you  start  now,  and  say,   *  We  have  heard 

about  that  Book,  and  now  we  will  begin  and  practice 

4 


88  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

its  teachings  just  one  year/  What  would  be  the 
result?  There  would  be  no  lying,  no  stealing,  no 
selling  rum,  no  getting  drunk,  no  tattling,  no  mis- 
chief-making, no  gossiping,  no  vice  or  debauchery. 
Every  man  would  be  a  good  man,  every  woman  a 
good  woman ;  every  man  would  be  a  good  husband, 
father,  or  brother,  every  woman  a  good  wife,  mother, 
or  sister ;  every  one  in  the  community  would  be 
peaceable  ;  there  would  be  no  brawls,  no  quarrels, 
no  fights,  no  lawsuits;  lawyers  would  almost  starve 
to  death  ;  doctors  would  have  light  practice,  and 
plenty  of  time  to  hoe  their  gardens  ;  courts  would  be 
useless,  jails  and  lockups  empty,  almshouses  cleaned 
out  of  their  inmates,  except  a  few  old  stagers  left 
over  from  the  past  generation ;  taxes  would  be  re- 
duced three-fourths,  haid  times  would  trouble  no- 
body— all  would  be  well-dressed  and  well  cared  for. 
It  would  raise  the  price  of  real  estate  twenty-five  per 
cent  in  six  months;  taxes  would  come  down,  proper- 
ty would  go  up,  and  good  people  from  far  and  near 
would  want  to  move  into  town,  and  nobody  who  was 
worth  having  there  would  want  to  move  out.  And 
this  would  be  the  direct  result  of  reading  and  obeying 
this  Book,  Now,  if  a  book  will  do  that  for  a  com- 
munity, what  kind  of  a  book  is  it?  Is  such  a  book 
the  Lord^s  book  or  the  devil's  book?  It  seems  to  me 
that  a  book  that  will  do  such  works  as  that,  must  be 
the  Book  of  God,  inspired  by  the  very  breath  of  the 
Almighty.  The  Book  is  its  own  witness.  It  bears 
its  own  fruits  and  tells  its  own  story." 


CHAPTER  YII. 

THE   FALSE  PHILOSOPHr  AND  DEMORALIZING   IN- 
FLUENCE OF  INFIDELITY  PROVE  THAT 
IT  MUST  BE  UNTRUE. 

While  the  good  effect  of  Bible  truths  proves  it  to 
be  inspired  of  God,  the  false  philosophy  of  infidelity, 
and  its  demoralizing  effects,  show  that  it  must  be  un- 
true. 

Nothing;  can  be  more  certain,  maintains  the  infidel, 
than  that  no  human  being  can  by  any  possibiHty  con- 
trol his  thought.  We  are  in  this  world — we  see,  we 
hear,  we  feel,  we  taste;  and  everyt!)ing  in  nature 
makes  an  impression  upon  the  brain,  and  that  wonder- 
ful something,  enthroned  there  with  these  materials, 
weaves  what  we  call  thought,  and  the  brain  can  no 
more  help  thinking  than  the  heart  can  help  beating. 
The  blood  pursues  its  old  accustomed  round  without 
our  will.  The  heart  beats  without  askim?  leave  of 
•us,  and  the  brain  thinks  in  spite  of  all  we  can  do. 
This  being  true,  no  human  being  can  justly  be  held 
responsible  for  his  thought   any  more    than  for  the 


40  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED. 

beating  of.  his  heart,  any  more  more  than  for  the 
course  pursued  by  the  blood,  any  more  than  for 
breathing  air. 

"  That  falsehood,"  observes  a  writer,  "  shot  Presi- 
dent Garfield.  If  it  were  the  truth,  it  would  be  a  full 
and  complete  justification  of  every  murder,  rape,  ar- 
son, wife-beating,  child-torturing,  and  of  every  crime 
that  has  been  committed  since  time  began.  We  are 
not  afraid  of  the  effects  of  such  a  preposterous  false- 
hood on  the  minds  of  mature  and  thinking  men  and 
women^those  who  know  and  feel  their  responsibili- 
ty to  God  and  their  fellow-men — bat  more  deadly 
moral  poison  was  never  put  into  so  small  a  shape  for 
the  minds  of  the  immature  and  those  who  seek  an  ex- 
cuse for  the  gratification  of  devilish  propensities.  A 
man  is  as  much  the  master  of  his  brain  as  he  is  of  his 
premises.  He  is  just  as  guilty — nay,  much  more 
guilty — if  he  permits  an  evil  thought  to  fester  and 
corrupt  in  his  soul,  as  he  is  if  he  permit  open  sewers 
and  dead  animals  and  rotting  vegetables  to  lie  in  his 
cellar,  and  poison  his  family  to  death.  It  is  his  duty 
to  clean  them  out.  If  an  evil  passion  shows  its  germ 
in  his  mind,  he  cannot  let  it  spread  and  grow  till  it 
culminates  in  murder  or  adultery,  and  then  say  he  is 
not  responsible  for  it.  If  he  does  not  uproot  it  and 
cast  it  out,  and  plant  the  seed  of  all  good  thoughts  in 
its  place,  he  will,  if  he  gets  his  deserts,  be  hung  in 
this  world  and  damned  in  the  next.  That  doctrine 
lies  at  the  bottom  of  the  infidel  philosophy.  In  just 
so  far  as  it  is  accepted,  to  that  extent  will  all  moral 
restraints  be  taken  ofi"  the  minds  and  consciences  of 
men.     It  takes  no  heed  of  deadly  consequences." 


THE   TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED.  41 

It  says,  "I  am  not  responsible  for  my  thoughts  or 
their  outcome." 

It  seems  that  the  speculative  infidelity  of  men  must 
have  paralyzed  and  stupified  their  minds,  when  their 
theory  constrains  them  to  deny  their  free  agency 
and  responsibility.  Who  in  the  exercise  of  ordinary 
reason,  does  not  know  that  if  two  silver  dollars  were 
offered  him,  as  near  alike  as  possible  in  every  partic- 
ular, that  he  is  perfectly  free  to  choose  either  as  a 
present  from  me,  or  to  decline  the  present  entirely. 
Thus  his  consciousness  testifies  to  his  free  agency. 
And  whose  moral  nature  can  be  so  obtuse  and  insen- 
sible as  to  feel  that  he  is  neither  guilty  for  deliberate 
murder,  nor  to  be  commended  for  generous  acts  of 
beneficence? 

When  skeptics,  in  justification  of  their  speculative 
theory  of  unbelief,  deny  their  intellectual  and  moral 
nature,  and  are  not  blameworthy  either  lor  their  un- 
belief of  moral  truth  or  their  sinful  conduct,  which  is 
its  result,  they  must  be  greatly  at  fault  And  God 
says  of  them:  "Because  they  received  not  the  love 
of  the  truth  that  they  might  be  saved,  he  shall  send 
them  strong  delusion  that  they  should  believe  a  lie, 
that  they  all  might  be  damned  who  believe  not  the 
truth  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness." 

Everv  man  of  sound  mind,  in  the  exercise  of  his 
reason,  must  know  that  he  is  not  the  irresponsible 
subject  of  arbitrary  fate,  but  his  consciousness  and 
his  conscience  must  both  convince  him  that  he  is  ab- 
solutely B.free  agent,  responsible  for  all  his  deliberate, 
voluntary  acts  and  intentions,  both  to  the  civil  and 

divine  law,  and  to  society,  and  to  Almighty  God,  his 
4* 


42  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

final  Judge,  for  all  his  moral  and  religious  or  wicked 
conduct.  Hence  it  appears  obvious  to  all  fair  minded 
and  candid  men,  that  "  every  one  of  us  shall  give  ac- 
count of  himself  to  God."  It  is  reasonable,  there- 
fore, that  "  he  that  believeth  shall  be  saved,  and  he 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned." 


CHAPTER  yill. 

EXPERIMENTAL  EVIDENCE  OF  THE  TRUTH  OF 
CHRISTIANITY. 

(  EXTRACTS.— DOING  AND  KNOWING.) 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  said,  "  If  any  man  will 
do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it 
be  of  God." 

But  does  any  objector  say,  "  I  must  know  the  doc- 
trine before  I  begin  to  practice  it  ?  "  I  reply  this  is 
unreasonable.  And  in  its  support  I  ask  attention  to 
the  following  extracts  and  considerations  : 

"  If  any  man  will  do  his  will  he  shall  know  of  the 
doctrine,"  said  Christ.  *'  But  that,"  answers  the 
doubter,  "  is  unreasonable.  That  reverses  the  nat- 
ural order.  I  must  know  the  doctrine  before  I  begin 
to  practice  it.  You  ask  me  to  commit  myself  to  a 
system  of  religion  many  of  whose  principles  I  do  not 
understand.     That  is  absurd." 

Let  us  see.  Perhaps  this  demand  of  Christ  is  not 
so  irrational  after  all.  It  may  be  that  men  are  con- 
stantly acting  on  the  same  principle  in  other  affairs. 

The  art  of  speaking  rests  upon  the  science  of  gram- 


44  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED. 

mar  or  rhetoric.  But  children  always  learn  to  talk 
before  they  study  grammar.  Would  our  objector 
insist  that  his  baby  must  take  a  thorough  course  of 
Gould-Brown  before  he  learned  to  talk  ?  Would  he 
pronounce  it  absurd  iu  this  case  that  practice  should 
precede  doctrine  ? 

Every  art  is  based  upon  science.  The  art  consists 
of  rules  and  methods,  the  science  of  laws  and  princi- 
ples; the  art  is  practical,  the  science  is  theoretical. 
And  almost  always  the  practice  comes  before  the 
theory. 

When,  therefore,  Christ  says,  "  Do  and  you  shall 
know,"  he  lays  down  for  the  divine  education  a 
method  which  the  most  intelligent  modern  teachers 
have  found  it  necessary  to  adopt.  Religion  is  an  art — 
the  art  of  holy  living.  Theology  is  the  science  which 
underlies  the  art.  And  it  is  just  as  reasonable  to 
ask  a  man  to  begin  to  practice  religion  before  he 
fully  understands  theology,  as  it  is  to  ask  him  to  be- 
gin to  practice  any  other  art  before  he  comprehends 
the  corresponding  science. 

The  inductive  method  in  philosophy,  which  all  our 
scientists  in  these  days  insist  upon  as  the  only  valid 
method,  requires  us  to  collect  our  facts  first  and  then 
draw  reason  from  them.  We  are  not  allowed  to  de- 
velop our  theories  out  of  our  own  consciousness, 
and  then  see  if  we  cannot  find  facts  to  fit  them.  We 
must  first  know  what  is,  and  then  try  to  find  what  it 
means.  Now  this  is  precisely  Christ's  demand.  Re- 
ligion is  for  every  man  a  concern  intensely  individual. 
The  essence  of  it  is  submission  to  God  and  depend- 
ence on  His  grace.     It  consists  largely  of  acceptance 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED.  45 

from  him  of  help  in  our  struggles  with  sin  and  in  our 
endeavors  to  live  righteously.  It  promises  us  sup- 
port under  suffering,  comfort  in  sorrow,  and  a  good 
hope  in  the  hour  of  death. 

All  the  doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion  bear  di- 
rectly  upon  these  practical  issues.  Now^  how  can 
any  man  find  out  whether  the  doctrines  are  true  un- 
less he  will  put  them  to  the  test  of  practice.  The 
facts  which  establish  the  doctrines  are  facts  which  he 
must  find  in  his  own  experience.  He  cannot  explore 
the  minds  of  other  men.  He  may  be  able  to  judge, 
somewhat  imperfectly,  by  observing  their  conduct, 
whether  thev  do  receive  this  divine  aid  or  not :  but 
there  is  only  one  absolutely  certain  method  of  know- 
ing whether  there  is  answer  to  prayer,  whether 
there  is  solace  in  affliction,  whether  the  strength  and 
peace  of  God  are  given  to  them  that  ask — and  that  is 
by  trying.  When  a  man  has  collected  out  of  his  own 
experience  facts  enough  upon  which  to  base  an  in- 
duction, then  he  will  know  of  the  doctrine.  He  can 
never  know  in  any  other  way.  And  when  he  refuses 
to  take  this  method  of  finding  out,  and  insists  that  he 
must  be  certain  of  the  results  before  he  makes  the 
experiment,  he  is  as  unreasonable  as  one  who,  hav- 
ing always  lived  in  a  dungeon,  should  insist  upon 
knowing  for  himself  that  the  light  and  heat  of  the 
sun  were  pleasant  before  he  would  go  out  of  his  cel- 
lar into  the  daylight. 

Religion  is  prayer.  When  it  was  said  of  Saul  of 
Tarsus  ''  Behold,  he  prayeth,"  it  was  meant  that  he 
had  entered  upon  the  religious  life.  There  were 
many    things   that  he  did  not    understand,    but    he 


46  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED. 

had  submitted  his  will  to  God  and  was  seeking  for 
light.  So  any  man  who  sincerely  prays  to  God 
with  submission  of  the  will  and  consecration  of  the 
life  is  a  religious  man.  That  is  the  only  way  to  be- 
come religious.  One  who  desires  to  do  the  will  of 
God  must  know  what  is  the  will  of  God.  He  will 
find  that  out  by  praying,  as  Saul  did:  "  Lord,  what 
wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?"  Whoever  will  offer  this 
prayer  in  simplicity  and  sincerity  day  by  day,  a,nd 
will  accept  such  light  as  he  can  get  from  the  study 
of  God's  truth  and  use  of  his  own  reason,  will  quick- 
ly find  that  his  worst  doubts  are  vanishing.  There 
may  be  some  subjects  yet  that  he  cannot  quite  mas- 
ter, but  nothing  over  which  his  faith  will  stumble  If 
God  is  infinite,  it  is  not  likely  that  all  the  truth  about 
Him  can  be  put  into  a  definition.  But  they  who  do 
his  will  shall  be  made  more  and  more  certain,  in  their 
earnest  search  for  wisdom,  that  to  the  knowledge  of 
divine  truth,  as  to  every  other  sort  of  knowledge, 
obedience  is  the  royal  road. 

Whatever  may  be  the  skill  of  the  teaching,  the 
prime  condition  of  knowledge  in  moral  things  is  in 
the  heart  itself.  If  in  all  the  lower  forms  of  feelings 
and  the  truths  belonging  to  them,  experience  must 
be  the  basis  of  knowledge,  how  much  more  should 
we  expect  it  to  be  so  in  the  range  of  the  higher 
moral  faculties!  We  come  to  the  Bible  from  the 
analogies  of  nature,  with  the  expectation  of  such  a 
teaching. 

Now  look,  for  a  moment,  at  some  of  the  truths 
which  Christ  was  wont  to  teach.  Earliest,  was  re- 
pentance  for  sin.     Whatever  explanations    may  be 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED.  47 

given  to  the  understanding  of  the  nature  of  repent- 
ance, they  will  be  invalid  and  obscure  until  the  feel- 
ing itself  interprets  them.  That  grief  for  sin  is  not 
all  grief,  but  is  tempered  with  trust,  and  love,  and 
sorrow,  without  fear  for  the  future,  but  full  of  regrets 
for  the  past;  that  says  "Against  Thee  and  Thee 
only  have  I  sinned,"  as  if  nothing  else  was  worth 
thinking  of  in  comparison  with  the  fact  that  God  had 
been  offended — who  shall  know  this,  except  through 
the  experience  of  it?  There  may  be  a  suggestive 
flavor  of  it  in  generous  hearts,  in  the  nobler  forms  of 
earthly  love  ;  but  only  in  a  Christian's  experience  do 
we  know  its  full  disclosures.  Those  that  have  felt  it 
interpret  your  words  when  you  speak  of  it  with 
great  heart-swellings ;  but  to  those  who  have  not 
known  it,  your  words  of  interpretation  are  but  as 
sounding  brass  or  a  tinkling  cymbal. 

The  reality  and  the  joy  of  entire  submission  to 
God;  the  sense  of  the  Divine  worthiness;  the  dis- 
closure of  the  beauty  of  holiness;  heart-gladness  on 
account  of  God's  supremacy ;  a  glorying  in  the 
thought  of  His  universal  Fatherhood  ;  an  unspeaka- 
ble satisfaction  in  the  conviction  of  His  love  toward 
us,  of  our  adoption  through  it,  of  our  sympathetic 
union  with  Him,  of  our  co-operative  life  in  this  world 
and  of  our  union  with  Him  in  immortality  ;  that  rev- 
erence which  prostrates  us  before  the  grandeur  and 
purity  of  his  Being ;  the  stranger  mystery  of  that 
feeling  which  inspires  the  soul  with  a  sense  of  honor 
and  glory  in  the  act  of  its  humiliation  before  God ; 
that  wonderful  experience  which  causes  the  heart  to 
scorn  as  an  indignity,   and   reject   as    a   monstrous 


4:8  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE    BIBLE  PROVED. 

wrong,  the  humbling  of  itself  before  human  beings, 
but  which  bows  it  down  with  eager  willingness  and 
gladness  before  God,  and  fills  it  with  the  divinest 
sense  of  the  greatness  that  there  is  in  childlike  sim- 
plicity and  Christlike  humility  ;  the  sense  of  God's 
presence  ;  the  perception  of  God  in  the  work  of  His 
hands  in  nature ;  the  supernal  beauty  of  this 
world  when  to  faith  it  is  transfused  with  the  Spirit  of 
God. 

By  what  possible  explanations  or  formulas  can 
these  truths  be  taught?  How  shall  one  find  them 
unless  they  spring  out  of  his  own  heart?  Yet  less 
can  be  taught  of  that  wondrous  truth  which  is  the 
blossom  of  the  whole  creation — Zow.  Our  exper- 
iences of  it  one  toward  another,  are  but  its  lower 
leaves.  What  is  it  when  God  solicits  it  and  nourishes 
it  in  the  human  soul  ?  What  is  it  when  it  is  the  har- 
mony of  all  the  faculties  of  our  nature,  and,  inspired 
by  God,  it  takes  hold  upon  him  as  the  all-worthy 
object  of  its  supreme  strength  ?  These,  thank  God, 
are  experiences  possible  here;  but  they  must  precede 
knowing.     Words  and  letters  will  not  teach  them. 

We  ask  no  favor,  no  grace,  but  only  that  you  be 
willing  to  accept  religious  truth  according  to  its  na- 
ture, as  you  do  all  others. 

I  stand  in  the  door  of  Christian  life,  and  declaim 
of  the  untold  gladness  of  love,  hope  and  faith  ;  of  the 
joys  of  humility,  of  manly  self  renunciation,  of  the 
peace  and  rest  which  devotion  breathes  upon  the 
soul,  of  the  solace  of  penitence — the  profound  joy  of 
gratitude.  Do  you  demand  that  such  truths  shall  be 
proved,   as    if  they    were  intellectual   propositions  ? 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED.  49 

Will  you  reason  upon  a  fact  of  consciousness,  as  if  it 
were  an  outward  fact  of  matter?  The  foundation  of 
thinking  in  respect  to  truths  of  moral  consciousness 
is  feeling.  As  no  man  can  spin  until  he  has  either 
cotton  or  wool,  so  no  man  can  think  until  he  has  the 
staple  from  which  thought  is  twisted.  Feeliop;  is  the 
wool  out  of  which  the  thread  and  fabric  of  thought, 
in  many  departments  of  Truth,  are  made.  And 
though  I  do  not  despise  the  thread  or  the  fabric,  I 
recognize  the  fact  that  all  understanding  of  moral 
truth  must  be  based  upon  moral  experience. 

When  men  come  to  the  Gospel,  they  must  come 
to  it  as  little  children  ;  that  is,  they  must  come  and 
ask  ivhat  it  is,  and  not  to  pronounce  what  it  onght  to 
he.  For  a  great  while  the  world  undertook  to  estab- 
lish natural  science  by  teaching  what  they  supposed 
ought  to  be  the  structure  of  nature.  They  found  out 
nothing  of  the  composition  of  air  or  fluids;  they 
discovered  nothing  of  the  qualities  of  water  or  fire; 
they  made  themselves  acquainted  with  neither  geolo- 
gy nor  chemistry.  It  was  not  until,  instead  of  arro- 
gantly measuring  nature  upon  their  own  preconceived 
theories,  they  humbled  themselves  and  sat  at  the  feet 
of  God  in  nature,  that  there  grew  up  a  school  of 
truth  broad  and  wise. 

The  same  fact  exists  in  relation  to  moral  truth. 
There  never  can  be  a  teaching  to  a  mind  that  as- 
sumes to  know  beforehand  the  truth  to  be  taught. 
And  our  business  is  to  ask,  ''What  is  truth  ?'^  If  the 
ecieniific  man  demands  that  we  shall  preach  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ  and  the  truths  of  religious  experience, 
in  such  a  way  that  they  shall  be  mathematically  dem- 
5 


50  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

onstrated,  he  demands  that  which  is  simply  impossi- 
ble. I  have,  however,  both  heard  and  seen  piiiited, 
the  declaration  that  we  are  bound  to  give  a  mathe- 
matical demonstration  of  the  truths  which  we  advo- 
cate. I  regard  the  absurdity  of  this  as  not  one  whit 
less  than  would  be  that  of  asking  for  a  pound  of  love 
or  tw^o  ounces  of  pity.  What !  apply  physical  meas- 
ures to  moral  qualities?  Just  as  much  as  mathemati- 
cal reasonings!  No,  physical  measures  and  mathe- 
matical reasonings  are  applicable  to  material  sub- 
stances only.  And  those  processes  of  teaching  which 
belong  to  matter  are  impertinent  when  demanded 
in  the  premutation  of  moral  or  affectionate  truths. 

The  philosophical  reasoner  who  resolves  all  truths 
from  their  living  forms  into  abstractions,  travels 
right  away  from  the  nutritious  form  of  truth.  An 
abstraction  of  intellect  is  never  a  living  truth.  It  is 
but  an  artificial  creation.  There  may  be  good  uses 
for  abstractions.  But  they  belong  to  the  school,  the 
training  room.  Religious  truths  chiefly  concern 
themselves  with  human  duties  and  dispositions.  The 
Gospel  is  not  a  system  of  philosophical  truths,  but  a 
guide  book  of  practical  life — a  prescription  for  the 
heart  and  conduct. 

Hence  this  teaching  indicates,  in  the  clearest  man- 
ner, what  is  the  substance  of  Christianity.  It  is  the 
life  of  the  soul  according  to  a  Divine  method,  that 
constitutes  the  religion  of  Christ.  The  Bible,  the 
church,  the  ministry,  and  doctrines  and  precepts,  are 
all  instruments,  and  the  truth  to  which  they  minister 
is  always  in  the  living  consciousness  of  the  individual 
or  else  it  has  no  existence  at  all. 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED.  51 

Christ  says,  ^^  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 
And  I  aver  that  that  man  who  is  at  peace  with  God 
througli  love  to  men  ;  who  not  merely  says  he  loves 
God  and  men,  but  blossoms  all  over  with  love  ;  who 
wherever  he  goes  is  fragrant  with  Divine  gifts;  whoso 
face,  is  ever  radiant  with  goodness  ;  who  carries  gen- 
tleness and  sweetness  in  the  house,  and  in  the  street, 
and  everywhither — I  aver  that  that  man  is  right. 

And  I  aver  that  if  a  man  will  do  the  will  of  God, 
he  shall  learn  in  that  way,  whether  the  teaching  of 
Christ  is  of  God  or  not.  Let  a  man  prostrate  him- 
self before  God;  let  him  begin  to  ask  direction  of 
God,  and  wish  to  be  directed  by  him;  let  him  take 
fundamental  truths  of  the  Gospel,  and  attempt, 
earnestly  and  perseveritigly,  to  conform  his  life  to 
them — let  a  man  do  these  things,  and  not  only  will 
he  become  a  Christian,  but  he  will  touch  all  the 
great  doctrines  of  theology. 

Suppose,  for  instance,  that  a  man  desires  to  be 
convinced  of  one's  inability  to  correct  his  own  life. 
Let  him  attempt  to  practice  the  command,  ^' Thou 
ehalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with 
all  thy  mind,  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself,"  and  if  he 
does  not  come  to  a  sense  of  his  inability  to  do  it, 
and  of  his  need  of  Divine  help,  his  experience  will  be 
ditferent  from  that  of  any  man  I  ever  knew. 

Suppose  that  a  man  desires  to  be  convinced  of  the 
sinfulness  of  the  heart.  You  say  to  him,  ''  The  Bible 
says  it  is  sinful."  He  says,  "  I  do  not  believe  the 
Bible."  ''  Yon  ought  to."  '^  Well,  I  do  not."  You 
can  get  no  further  with  him.     Or,  if  he  professes  to 


52  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED. 

believe  the  Bible,  and  is  ingeoious  in  an  argument, 
you  may  quote  to  him  passage  after  passage,  and  he 
will  evade  them  all,  by  saying  they  are  relative  to 
gueh  and  such  things  which  have  no  relation  to  the 
doctrine  you  are  endeavoring  to  prove.  He  will  go 
through  the  whole  Bible,  like  a  plow,  throwing  your 
citations  aside,  and  leaving  an  iron  track  behind  him. 

When  I  come  across  such  a  man,  I  say  to  him,  ''Do 
jou  not  believe  that,  being  sustained  by  God, 
you  owe  constant  obedience  and  reverence  to  him?" 
He  says  "  That  is  natural  teaching — I  believe  that." 
^'  Do  you  not  believe  that  you  ought  to  obey  the 
command,  '  Thou  shalt  love  God  supremely,  and  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself  ?"  "Yes — that  is  reasonable." 
^*  Well,  then,  will  you  undertake  to  conform  your  life 
to  it  for  the  space  of  one  week  ?  "  ''I  have  no  ob- 
jection to  that."  So  he  begins  on  Monday  to  try  to 
live  in  such  a  way  that  in  everything  he  does,  love  to 
God  and  love  to  his  neighbor  shall  predominate. 
He  succeeds  very  well  so  long  as  nothing  comes  up 
to  disturb  his  equanimity;  but  the  moment  worldly 
influences  touch  his  pride,  it  breaks  out  like  a  tiger ; 
and  he  says  to  himself,  "  Hold  !  hold  !  Pride.  Thou 
art  to  love  God  and  thy  neighbor."  Pride  flashes 
and  thunders  and  throws  out  cinders,  determined  not 
to  be  governed  by  any  such  law.  When  this  eruption 
is  over  with,  the  man  says,  ''  I  will  make  another 
trial,"  and  he  goes  to  New  York,  and  there  his  sel- 
fishness is  aroused  ;  and  before  the  sun  goes  down  he 
finds  himself  striving  as  greedily  for  gain  as  other 
men. 

And,  when,  at  the  end  of  the  week,  he  reviews  his 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED.  53 

conduct  during  the  period  allotted  for  the  undertak- 
ing, he  finds  that  it  has  been  characterized  by  noth- 
ing  else  so  little  as  a  spirit  of  love  ;  and  he  says,  '*  I 
do  not  believe  it  is  possible  for  me  to  love  God  su- 
premely and  my  neighbor  as  myself.  I  have  tried  to 
do  it  for  a  whole  week,  and  I  have  not  had  a  single 
conception  of  God;  and  as  for  loving  all  men,  I  can- 
not do  it.  There  is  not  a  thing  in  me  that  does  not 
rebel  against  it." 

That  is  just  what  I  have  been  preaching  to  the 
man.  He  has  acknowledged  the  very  thing  of  which 
I  desired  to  convince  him — namely,  that  all  the  facul- 
ties of  the  human  soul  are  sinful,  and  refuse  to  let  a 
man  live  aright.  He  has  become  convinced  of  both 
the  doctrine  of  dependence  upon  God,  and  the  doc- 
trine of  human  sinfulness.  And  let  him  go  on  in 
the  same  way,  step  by  step,  attempting  to  carry  out 
in  his  life  all  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  and  he  will 
by-and-by  become  convinced  of  the  doctrine  of  re- 
generation, the  doctrine  of  adoption,  the  doctrine  of 
justification,  the  doctrine  of  sanctification,  and  all  the 
other  fundamental  doctrines  of  Christianity.  Let  a 
man  attempt  to  live,  and  succeed  in  living,  according 
to  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  his  doubts  will  be  removed 
in  regard  to  the  whole  Gospel  scheme.  ^^  If  any  man 
will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine, 
whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whether  I  speak  of  myself.'' 
A  Christian  experience  includes  in  it  the  essential 
facts  of  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I  avoid  reasoning  with  honest  persons  in  respect 
to  Christianity,  not  because  I  undervalue  reasoning, 
but  because  1  think  there  is  a  better  way  of  present- 
6* 


54  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

ing  the  truth  to  them.  I  was  brought  up  in  a  school 
where  argumentation  w^as  as  natural  as  walking,  but 
my  pastoral  experience  has  been  such  as  to  convince 
me  that  that  is  not  the  best  means  to  employ  for 
removing  men's  doubts  on  the  subject  of  religion. 
My  direction  to  any  man  that  wants  to  come  to  Christ 
is,  "  Begin  to  be  a  Christian."  If  ho  says,  "  I  do  not 
know  about  it,"  I  say,  "  Begin,  and  you  will  find  out." 
I  put  him  at  once  upon  the  practice  of  Christianity, 
as  the  shortest  way  of  answering  his  objections.  The 
moment  he  has  the  life  of  Christ  in  him,  it  will  begin 
to  remove  them  out  of  the  way:  and  it  will  do  more 
in  a  single  moment  than  you  can  do  in  years  and 
years  by  hard  debate  and  argument.  And  when  the 
work  is  done  in  this  way,  it  does  not  have  to  be  done 
the  second  time;  for  with  reference  to  that  which  a 
man  has  learned  by  experience,  he  never  says,  ''I  do 
not  believe.'' 

So,  as  long  as  a  man's  soul  is  under  the  dominion 
of  pride,  and  selfishness,  and  worldly  will,  there  is 
nothing  in  him  that  will  accept  the  truth;  but  the 
moment  the  w^armth  of  the  Divine  Spirit  pours  in 
upon  him,  his  nature  begins  to  melt  and  flow  down 
and  his  heart  begins  to  soften,  and  there  is  fructifica- 
tion, the  results  of  which  are  ^een  in  his  life. 

This  is  the  parable  of  Christ :  A  sower  went  forth 
to  sow.  Some  seeds  fell  by  the  wayside,  some  on 
rock,  and  some  on  good  ground.  Those  which  fell  on 
prepared  soil  sprang  up  and  brought  forth  much 
fruit.  And  where  a  heart  is  in  such  a  state  that  it  can 
be  reached  by  Christian  truth,  that  truth  springs  up 
and  brings  forth  fruit  in  abundance  to  the  glory  of  God. 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED.  65 

If  you  would  leara  of  Christ,  go  directly  to  Christ 
himself.  If  you  want  to  know  whether  the  words  he 
spoke  are  true  or  not,  attempt  to  put  into  daily  prac- 
tice in  your  disposition,  in  your  heart,  in  your  deeds, 
what  he  taught  by  the  four  evangelists.  If  I  had  a 
man  that  was  an  infidel,  who  had  an  honest  spot  in 
him,  and  I  wanted  to  convert  him  to  Christianity, 
I  would  shut  him  up  in  a  house  with  just  four  rooms 
in  it,  I  would  turn  the  lock  on  him,  and  I  would  say  to 
him,  "  You  shall  abide  here  till  you  make  yourself 
acquainted  with  these  four  rooms.  The  first  is  Mat- 
thew ;  the  second,  opening  out  of  that,  is  Mark  ;  the 
thi?-d,  opening  out  of  that,  is  Luke;  and  the  fourth, 
high  out  of  that  crystal  roof,  in  those  evanishing  pic- 
tures far  above  the  reach  of  the  strongest  and  fur- 
thest-seeing eye,  is  John,  fit  revelator.  Here  are  your 
teachers  and  lessons.  You  shall  study  no  other  book  ; 
and  these  you  shall  study  by  practicing  what  is  in 
them.  Take  the  teachings  of  Christ  which  they  con- 
tain, and  practice  them  for  a  time,  and  then,  from  the 
experience  resulting  from  practice,  you  shall  know  of 
the  truth  of  Christ,  whether  it  be  of  God  or  not."  I 
do  not  believe  any  honest  man,  if  put  through  such 
a  course  of  training  as  that,  could  fail  to  come  out  a 
Christian. 

May  God  give  you  honesty,  and  induce  you  to  put 
in  practice  the  truths  of  religion,  as  the  shortest  way 
of  ascertaining  tlieir  verity. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  CONSISTENT  CHRISTIAN  LIFE  THE  BEST  FOR 
TIME  AND   THE  SAFEST  FOR  ETERNITY. 

The  strictly  consistent  Christian,  in  the  opinion  of 
believers  and  unbelievers,  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked,  aims  habitually  to  be  and  do  just  right  in  all 
his  relations  to  God  and  man,  and  by  so  doing  pro- 
mote his  own  happiness.  He  studies  diligently  the 
revelations  God  has  made  of  his  perfect  character  in 
his  works  and  word,  that  he  may  love  him  supremely, 
and  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  so  that  he  may 
be  '^  changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to 
glor\^,  even  as  by  the  spirit  of  the  Lord."  He  is 
deeply  penitent  for  his  siu^^  in  thought,  word  and 
deed,  he  trusts  in  the  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ  for 
pardon,  seeks  divine  grace  in  resisting  temptation, 
and  strives  to  imitate  his  Saviour's  perfect  and  holy 
example  so  that  he  may  ''  walk  in  all  the  command- 
ments and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  blameless."  And 
in  proportion  as  such  a  Christian  shall  succeed  in 
obeying  all  the  requirements  of  his  Maker,  will  he  en- 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED.  67 

joy  a  sense  of  the  divine  approval  and  the  approval 
of  his  own  conscience,  so  as  to  promote  his  highest 
and  most  permanent  enjoyment  in  the  present  life. 

In  proportion  as  he  obeys  the  physical,  intellectual 
and  moral  laws  of  his  Creator,  will  he  promote  his 
own  general  health  and  cheerfulness.  The  industry, 
economy  and  prudence,  inseparably  connected  with 
the  consistent  Christian  life,  will  commonly  be  reward- 
ed with  a  comfortable  competency  of  property,  so  as 
to  save  him  from  distressing  anxiety  concerning  his 
needful  support. 

His  uniform  benevolence,  kindness,  integrity,  and 
strict  uprightness  in  all  his  relations  with  his  fellow- 
men,  will  commonly  ensure  their  confidence  and  re- 
spect, so  that  he  will  enjoy  a  good  measure  of  their 
sympathy  and  approval. 

Such  a  Christian  will  endeavor  by  the  assistance  of 
divine  grace  to  submit  promptly  and  readily  to  the 
unavoidable  afflictions  of  life,  and  in  the  prospect  of 
death  will  commonly  enjoy  bright  hopes  of  perfect 
blessedness  of  heaven.  In  this  way  it  appears  that 
the  consistent  Christian  excels  the  devotee  of  world- 
liness  and  sin,  in  securing  the  greater  benefits  of  the 
present  life.  And  if  it  is  possible  that  his  high  hopes 
of  an  immortality  of  blessedness  beyond  the  grave 
shall  not  be  realized,  he  has  been  a  great  and  sur- 
passing gainer  of  the  real  blessings  which  he  has  en- 
joyed in  the  present  world,  over  those  who  have  pur- 
sued a  life  of  sinful  indulgence  and  neglect  of  true 
and  saving  piety. 

But  if  it  shall  prove  true,  as  he  believes,  (and  no 
man    can  know    the    contrary)    that  ''  our   Saviour, 


S8  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED. 

Jesus  Christ,  bath  abolished  dealh  and  brought  life 
and  immortality  to  light,  through  the  gospel,"  how 
inconceivably  joyous  and  ecstatic  must  be  his  eternal 
felicity  in  the  future  "  world  of  durable  riches  and 
righteousness."  And  if  "  it  is  appointed  unto  men 
once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judgment,"  and  "  if  we 
must  all  appear  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ 
that  every  one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his 
body,  according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be 
good  or  bad  ;"  and  if  "  the  wicked  shall  go  away  into 
eternal  punishment  and  the  righteous  into  life  eter- 
nal," what  mind  can  conceive  or  language  describe 
the  misery  of  the  worldly  and  sinful,  who  neglected 
religion  in  time,  and  lost  their  souls  for  eternity  ! 
With  this  view  of  the  possibility  of  an  immortal  ex- 
istence of  the  human  soul  in  the  world  of  just  retribu- 
tion, is  it  not  safest  to  live  and  die  a  consistent 
Christian?  Does  not  every  real  Christian  know  that 
when  he  passes  from  darkness  to  light,  from  the  bon- 
dage of  sin  to  a  life  of  liberty  and  holiness,  by  the 
washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  he  became  a  better  and  happier  man  and 
more  hopeful  in  anticipation  of  a  blessed  eter- 
nity? 

Therefore,  may  he  not  wisely  rest  satisfied  with 
such  facts  in  his  own  experience,  although  he  may 
be  unable  clearly  and  logically  to  refute  the  multiplied 
cavils  of  unbelief  and  the  sophistries  of  skepticism? 
Do  not  all  men  reasonably  expect  the  true  followers 
of  Christ  to  be  better  men  than  the  mere  devotees  of 
this  sinful  world,  however  infidel,  heretical  or  super- 
stitious they  may  be  themselves,  while  they  common- 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED.  59 

Ij  expect  those  who  apostatize  from  their  Christian 
profession  to  be  more  immoral  in  their  lives? 

And  does  not  this  fact  show,  that  they  regard  the 
consistent  Christian  life  the  best  for  time  (and  if 
there  be  a  future  existence)  the  safest  for  eternity  ? 
And  in  the  hour  of  death,  was  it  ever  known  that  any 
one  ever  regretted  that  he  had  lived  a  consistent 
Christian  life  ?  But  in  that  awful  hour  how  many 
have  manifested  great  distress  in  view  of  their  past 
unbelief  and  neglect  of  religion  ?  Certainly  "  their 
rock  is  not  as  our  rock,  even  our  enemies  themselves 
being  judges."  "  But  godliness  is  profitable  unto  all 
things,  having  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of 
that  which  is  to  come." 


CHAPTER  X. 

RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  BELIEF. 

Upon  a  man's  belief  or  unbelief  of  the  Bible,  with 
its  precious  doctrines,  is  suspended  momentous  re- 
sults. *'  He  that  believeth,  and  is  baptized,  shall  be 
saved  ;  but  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned." 

Although  men  are  greatly  influenced  in  their  re- 
ligious beliefs  by  their  constitutional  tendencies  and 
educational  circumstances,  they  cannot  doubt  or  dis- 
credit God's  truth,  pertaining  to  the  Christian  religion, 
without  fearful  peril  to  their  eternal  welfare.  If  they 
disbelieve  God's  natural  law  by  partaking  of  arsenic, 
although  it  may  appear  as  innocent  as  powdered  chalk, 
they  must  sufier  the  dangerous  consequences. 

Why  is  this  ?  Is  not  God  good  ?  Yea,  verily. 
But  his  goodness  leads  him  to  teach  men  that  for  dis- 
belief in  the  effects  of  things  natural,  they  are  respon- 
sible to  him,  and  must  suffer  fearful  penalties.  EFence 
it  seems  reasonable  that  men  should  be  responsible  to 
God  for  their  religious  belief,  because  their  belief 
controls  their  moral  conduct. 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED.  61 

It  is  generally  admitted  that  a  man's  religious  be- 
lief is  a  good  index  to  his  present  character  and  future 
actions.  '-For  as  he  thinketh  in  his  heart,  so  is  he." 
*' Take  away  the  fear  of  punishment,'' as  a  writer  has 
observed,  "  and  present  the  occasion  to  him  who  be- 
lieves that  stealing  is  justifiable,  and  no  man  of  sense 
is  surprised  that  the  belief  rules  the  life,''  The  mass 
of  criminal  convicts  believe  themselves,  for  some 
reason,  to  have  been  justifiable  in  the  perpetration  of 
their  crimes.  So  long  as  they  thus  believe,  every  or- 
derly citizen  knows  that  they  are  dangerous  to 
:  society. 

A  man's  creed,  it  is  very  plain,  embodies  his  moral 
principles.  But  if  he  who  believes  viciously  acts 
correctly,  it  is  owing  to  causes  foreign  from  his  real 
character,  and  there  is  no  proper  ground  of  praise 
or  blame  in  what  he  does.  It  is  true  that  decided 
unbelievers  are  sometimes  good  citizens,  but  it  is  not 
the  natural  result  of  their  unbelief;  for  no  code  of 
morals  admits  of  fortuitous  virtue.  Furthermore,  it 
is  obvious  that  men  are  responsible  for  the  thorough 
pursuit,  and  impartial  appreciation  of  evidence  in 
support  of  truth. 

For  it  is  plain  that  all  enlightened  belief  depends 
upon  the  evidence  which  the  mind  apprehends,  and 
not  that  which  exists  but  is  not  perceived.  There- 
fore, we  are  bound  to  search  dilligently  for  the  best 
evidence  of  which  the  nature  of  the  case  admits,  and 
then  w^eigh  the  evidence  or  testimony  with  strict  can- 
dor and  impartiality. 

"Why,"  as  one  inquires,  "  do  not  those  whose  in- 
terests are  opposed  see  the  evidence  alike  which  is 
6 


62  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

presented  in  a  Court  of  Justice?"  Under  the  influ- 
ence of  biaeed  feelings,  men  take  only  a  partial  view 
of  the  evidence  submitted  to  them,  while  they  study 
minutely  all  the  circumstances  deemed  favorable  to 
themselves,  and  to  undervalue  those  of  an  opposite 
tendency;  and  this  unfair  appreciation  produces  a 
biased  and  incorrect  belief,  as  certainly  as  if  but  one 
side  had  been  adduced. 

If  from  such  considerations  as  these  men  are  re- 
sponsible to  society  in  temporal  affairs,  is  it  not  most 
reasonable  that  they  should  be  responsible  to  God  for 
their  belief  in  eternal  affairs  ?  "  If  we  receive  the 
witness  of  men,  the  witness  of  God  is  greater."  If 
erroneous  belief  is  often  injurious  for  this  life,  and 
often  fatal,  who  can  show  that  it  will  not  be  equall}^, 
or  more  so,  in  the  life  beyond  the  grave  ?  If  man's 
welfare  now  requires  him  to  believe  in  the  fixed  laws 
of  God's  natural  government,  may  it  not  be  much 
more  important  that  he  should  believe  in  the  fixed 
laws  of  His  moral  government  ? 

In  the  light  of  this  subject  we  perceive  why  some 
men  believe  the  Gospel,  and  others  reject  it,  while 
the  same  evidence  is  in  existence  for  the  examination 
of  both  classes.  When  both  are  urged  to  believe  the 
Gospel,  and  be  converted,  and  imbibe  the  teachable 
spirit  of  little  children  in  receiving  its  inspired  in- 
tructions,  one  class  searches  dilligently  and  honestly 
for  proofs  in  its  support,  as  for  hidden  treasure,  and 
believes  with  the  heart  unto  righteousness,  and  is 
made  wise  unto  salvation.  The  other  in  his  perversi- 
ty, neglects  all  real  honest  inquiries,  ''and  for  this 
cause  God  shall  send  them  strong  delusion,  that  they 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE    PROVED.  63 

shall  believe  a  lie,  that  they  all  might  be  damned 
who  believe  not  the  truth  but  had  pleasure  in  un- 
righteousness." 

"  Finally,"  says  Prof.  Northrop,  ^'letus  amid  all  the 
excitement  of  the  age,  all  the  unrest  of  the  gathering 
doubt  and  unbelief,  stand  firm  in  this  confidence  that 
Jesus  Christ  and  this  gospel  are  adapted  to  the  needs 
of  men.  That  which  is  necessary  to  men,  men  will 
ultimately  come  to  have.  This  gospel  is  necessary 
to  man  as  a  social  being,  as  a  member  of  society. 
Why,  without  this  gospel  and  without  the  future  life, 
what  would  society  be  ?  If  Lazarus  received  evil 
things  and  the  rich  man  good  things,  and  if  this  life 
is  allj  tell  me  why  the  Lazaruses  combining  should 
not  take  the  good  things  from  the  rich  men  and  use 
them  for  themselves  in  this  life  ?  You  would  if  you 
were  in  their  place ;  I  would  if  I  were  in  their  place. 
It  is  the  restraining  power  of  the  moral  government 
of  Almighty  God,  and  the  truth  of  His  government 
as  revealed  in  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  that  is 
to  be  the  salvation  of  the  world,  and  to  save  it  from 
the  errors  of  socialism,  and  communism,  and  nihilism, 
if  it  is  saved  at  all. 

''  But  more  than  all,  my  friends,  is  this:  Here  all  is 
pleasant;  here  the  forces  move  on  swiftly;  the  cur- 
rents of  life  are  easy  :  we  are  gathered  here  enjoying 
each  other's  faces  ;  there  is  tio  sadness  and  no  sor- 
row here.  But  that  is  not  the  whole  of  life.  There 
are  moments  of  sadness,  especially  moments  when 
we  stand  by  those  dearer  to  us  than  our  lives,  and 
see  them  pas3  away  by  that  mysterious  process  we 
call  death.     And  when  that  hour  comes,  as  come  to 


64  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED. 

every  one  of  us  it  will,  tell  me,  Oh,  unbeliever,  what 
comfort  you  can  give  in  an  hour  like  that?  Tell  rae, 
IngersoU,  preaching  infidelity  through  the  country 
and  robbing  men  of  their  last  hope  in  that  hour  of 
agony,  what  words  of  consolation  can  you  speak  ? 
And  there  is  silence — silence  that  must  be,  silence 
even  when  hearts  are  breaking  with  anguish.  And 
is  there  any  voice  in  all  the  universe  that  comes 
to  us  with  comfort  save  the  single  voice  of  our 
Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  '  who  hath  abolished  death 
and  hath  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light 
through  the  gospel?'  'I  am  the  resurrection  and 
the  life  ;  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were 
dead,  yet  shall  he  live ;  and  whosoever  liveth  and  be- 
lieveth in  me  shall  never  die.' 

"  Ah,  this  is  comfort !  '  For  if  we  believe  that 
Jesus  died  and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also  which 
sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with  Him.'  And  there 
comes  through  every  heart,  man  and  woman  through 
all  Christendom,  when  that  hour  comes,  the  longing 
for  the  blessed  Lord.  '  Oh,  my  Lord,  my  blessed 
Lord  ;  I  shall  see  the  dear  one  I  have  lost,  the  lamb 
whom  Thou  hast  taken  to  Thine  own  bosom.' 

'•  Oh,  ministers  of  God,  preachers  of  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ,  lift  up  your  standard  even  in  this  age, 
and  bear  it  bravely  forward.  You  are  preaching  to 
men,  to  men  with  hearts  and  feelings  and  affections. 
They  will  need  the  gospel  which  you  preach.  Go 
preach  it  then;  be  strong  in  the  Lord;  there  is  no 
discouragement  that  He  has  not  foreseen,  and  which 
the  voice  of  prophecy  has  not  proclaimed  ;  there  is 
brightness  ahead  ;  bear  on  the  banner,  and  the  victo- 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED.  65 

ry  shall  be  the  Lord's.  For  modern  literature  with 
its  unbelief  shall  pass  away  ;  yea,  'Heaven  and  earth 
shall  pass  away,  but  my  words,'  saith  the  Lord,  'shall 
not  pass  away.' 

"If  Mr.  Huxley  thinks  that  it  requires  a  robust  faith 
to  believe  that  man  has  any  existence  after  death,  we 
have  a  perfect  right  to  think  that  it  requires  a  more 
robust  faith  to  believe  that  man  has  no  existence 
after  death.  The  greatest  scholar  I  ever  knew  be- 
lieved that  death  was  but  as  the  passage  from  one 
room  to  another,  and  when  he  died  I  have  no  doubt 
he  realized  that  expectation.  If  there  was  nothing 
else  to  convince  us  of  the  future  life,  except  the  in- 
completeness of  this,  I  would  still  believe  in  a  future 
life ;  for,  that  a  splendid  mind,  full  of  thought,  full  of 
the  mature  learning  of  years,  should  go  out  suddenly 
like  the  beasts  that  perish,  and  be  no  more,  is  beyond 
belief." 

6* 


CHAPTER  XI. 

SINCERITY    INSUFFICIENT. 

(extracts.) 

The  Bible  is  given  for  the  promotion  of  godliness 
of  life.  It  is  admirably  adapted  to  that  end,  and  to 
make  men  happy  hereafter,  as  well  as  good  here. 
And  the  apostle  Paul  blames,  by  implication  on  the 
one  side,  those  that  neglect  its  truths  wholly,  and,  on 
the  other  side,  those  that  overzealously  employ  its 
truths  for  the  promotion  of  something  else  besides 
godliness.  It  "  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof, 
for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness,  that^' 
— this  is  the  final  end — "  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works;" 
not  unto  all  good  belief— and  yet  he  is  to  believe  ; 
not  unto  soundness  of  doctrine — and  yet  he  is  to  be 
^ound  in  doctrine.  In  other  words,  the  apostle  here 
shows  that  truth  is  important,  but  that  it  is  a  means 
to  an  end;  and  that  the  higher  end  is  the  godliness 
of  a  man's  life ;  is  piety  and  holiness.  Truth  is 
therefore  an  instrument  for  the  production  of  that 
result. 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED.  67 

Comprehensively,  then,  we  may  say  that  there 
are  two  things  to  be  noticed  :  first,  that  the  proper 
use  and  end  of  all  religious  knowledge  is  the  promo- 
tion of  good  conduct  and  character  ;  and  secondly, 
that  there  is  a  definite  and  important  relation  be- 
tween certain  truths  and  certain  results  of  truth. 
It  is  not  indifferent  what  a  man  believes.  The 
same  fruits  will  not  follow  as  well  from  one  set  of 
principles  as  from  another.  A  man  must  believe 
right. 

In  the  main  this  is  the  universal  belief.  Believing: 
is  the  basis  of  all  instruction  and  education.  Every  * 
parent,  every  teacher,  every  moralist,  as  w^ell  as  every 
preacher  of  righteousness,  believes  that  human  life 
and  conduct  will  largely  depend  upon  the  things  that 
men  are  taught  to  believe. 

It  is  only  when  w^e  come  to  moral  truths,  to  relig- 
ious teachings,  that  there  has  sprung  up  a  very  differ- 
ent impression;  a  strange  heresy,  indeed.  For  there 
is  a  popular  impression  that  it  makes  no  difference 
what  a  man  believes,  if  he  is  only  sincere.  And  this 
takes  on  many  forms,  and  runs  through  a  w^ide  range 
of  applications. 

It  is  employed,  for  instance,  to  reduce  all  churches 
and  all  theologies  to  an  equality.  It  is  said  that  one 
faith,  whether  it  be  Catholic  or  Protestant,  Moham- 
medan or  Christian,  is  as  good  as  another,  so  that  it 
is  sincerely  held.  Men  say,  ''  It  makes  no  difference 
what  a  man  believes  if  he  is  only  sincere  in  his  re- 
ligion." To  their  mind,  the  belief  of  the  poor  In- 
dian, the  belief  of  the  Chinese,  and  all  the  other  be- 
liefs in  the  world,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  are 


G8  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

about  the  same.  They  think  that  being  sincere  is  the 
great  thing,  and  not  the  particular  belief. 

It  is  employed,  also,  to  signify  the  equality  of  mere 
conventional  morality,  without  any  real  religious 
feeling  or  faith  of  any  kind,  with  spiritual  and  ex- 
perimental religion.  A  prayerless,  godless,  worldly 
man,  of  an  amiable  turn,  who  conforms  to  the  maxims 
of  morality  which  exist  in  the  community  abouc  him 
is  wont  to  say,  "I  have  no  great  deal  of  religion,  and 
I  do  not  trouble  myself  much  about  religious  doc- 
trines ;  but  I  believe  in  doing  right,  and,  after  all,  it 
makes  not  so  much  difference,  if  a  man  is  only  sin- 
cere in  what  he  does  believe." 

There  is  just  enough  truth  in  this  phrase,  in  some 
of  its  applications,  to  make  it  plausable,  and  to  give 
it  currency.     And  so  it  has  come  to  be  a  proverb. 

No  proverb  could  touch  more  points  of  important 
truth  than  this  one,  which  says  it  makes  no  difference 
what  a  man  believes,  so  that  he  is  sincere.  It  touches 
the  whole  question  of  believing,  and  of  the  workings 
of  the  things  believed. 

As  to  its  origin.  How  did  men  come  to  say  this? 
There  were  a  great  many  reasons  why  this  was  adopted. 
There  are  some  shades  of  truth  in  the  saying.  It 
means  different  things  in  different  mouths.  Thus, 
with  some,  when  it  is  said,  "  It  matters  little  what  a 
man's  creed  is,  if  his  life  is  right,"  it  is  meant,  "  It 
matters  little  what  a  man's  head-knowledge  is  so  that 
he  is  sound  in  his  heart."  And  sincerity  here  means 
not  sincerity  in  belief,  but  sincerity  in  life,  or  godli- 
ness. And  hence  it  expresses  a  great  truth — a  truth 
that  is  not  enough  recognized.     There  are  two  ques- 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE  PROVED.  69 

tions  involved.  One  relates  to  what  stands  connected 
with  the  production  of  a  godly  disposition  and  a  god- 
ly life  ;  and  the  other  relates  to  what,  when  a  godly 
life  and  a  godly  disposition  are  produced,  are  their 
authority  and  their  value. 

Now  if  the  question  be  one  of  education,  of  what  is 
likely  to  make  a  man  just  and  true,  1  say  that  it  is  of 
great  importance  what  sort  of  truth  you  employ. 
For  some  kinds  of  teachings  are  a  great  deal  more 
likely  to  produce  godliness  than  others.  But  what- 
ever the  teaching^  has  been,  if  there  stands  a  man  that 
is  a  good  man,  however  strange  it  may  be  that  such 
a  creed  should  have  such  a  disciple,  however  far  he 
may  be  from  the  average  results  of  the  teaching  of 
such  things  as  he  believes,  his  godliness  is  to  be  ac- 
knowledged in  spite  of  the  instrumentation,  and  you 
are  to  accept  him  as  being  a  Christian  man.  If  a 
man  lives  like  a  Christian,  you  are  to  admit  that  he 
is  one,  without  regard  to  the  church  or  faith  to  which 
he  belongs. 

Does  success  in  life  depend  upon  sincere  Believing  or 
on  right  believing  ?  Suppose  a  man  should  think  that 
it  made  no  difference  what  he  believed,  and  should  say 
to  himself,  "  I  want  to  raise  some  corn,  but  I  have 
not  the  seed ;  so  I  will  taUe  some  ashes  and  plant 
them  ;  and  I  believe  sincerely  that  they  are  as  good 
as  corn,"  would  he  have  a  crop  of  corn?  What 
would  his  sincerity  avail?  The  more  sincere  he  was 
the  worse  it  would  be  for  him.  If  he  was  not  sincere 
he  might  slip  away  and  get  a  little  corn,  and  plant 
that  The  more  sincere  he  was,  the  more  certainly 
he  would  not    get  a  harvest.     And    in  all    material 


70  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

things!,  the  more  sincere  yon  are,  if  you  are  right,  the 
better;  but  the  more  sincere  you  are,  if  you  are 
wrong,  the  worse.  In  the  latter  case  sincerity  is  the 
mallet  that  drives  home  the  mischief. 

How  is  it  in  respect  to  commercial  matters  ?  A 
man  says,  "It  makes  no  difference  what  I  believe 
with  regard  to  the  conduct  of  my  business,  if  I  am 
only  sincere."  Does  it  not?  Does  it  make  no  dif- 
ference with  the  sale  of  a  man's  goods  whether  they 
are  manufactured  of  one  material  or  another?  If  a 
business  man  believes  right  in  respect  to  his  business, 
he  prospers;  and  if  he  believes  wrong,  he  does  not 
prosper. 

Take  the  navigator's  business.  A  man  says,  "  I 
have  my  own  theories  about  astronomy,  and  I  will 
sail  my  ship  according  to  them.  I  do  not  believe  the 
talk  of  the  books  on  this  subject.  And  it  does  not 
make  much  difference  what  a  man  believes  respecting 
it."  Does  it  make  no  diflference  what  a  man  believes 
about  charts  ?  Suppose  a  man  says,  "  I  know  the 
chart  says  that  here  are  three  fathoms  of  water,  that 
here  are  two,  and  that  liere  is  one,  but  I  do  no  believe 
it;  I  know  that  my  ship  draws  sixteen  feet  of  water, 
but  I  believe  that  I  can  run  it  over  a  twelve-feet  bar" 
— does  it  make  no  difference  what  he  believes?  It 
makes  the  difference  between  shipwrecking  and  not 
shipwrecking! 

And  all  through  physical  truth  a  man  is  bound  to 
believe,  not  sincerely,  but  correctly.  In  all  economic 
truths  it  is  not  enough  for  a  man  to  believe  sincerely : 
there  he  must  believe  accurately.  In  business,  in 
manufacturing,  in  navigation,  in  all  things  that  relate 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED.  71 

to  the  conduct  of  men  in  secular  affairs,  a  man  must 
believe  that  it  it?  necessary  for  him  to  hold  himself 
right — not  merely  sincere. 

Take  one  thing  further.  There  are  affectional  and 
social  truths.  Does  it  make  no  difference  what  a 
man  believes  in  respect  to  these?  A  man  says,  '"A 
truth  of  pride  is  the  same  as  a  truth  of  love,  if  a  man 
is  only  sincere."  Is  there  no  difference  between 
pride  and  vanity  and  selfishness,  and  tenderness  and 
sympathy  and  love?  And  if  a  man  has  social  inter- 
course, does  it  make  no  difference  what  view  he 
takes  of  these  things?  Will  it  make  no  difference 
with  his  conduct  if  he  thinks  that  pride  and  love  are 
about  the  same  thing,  and  that  one  is  a  proper  sub- 
stitute for  the  other?  His  sincerity  makes  the  mis- 
chief worse  in  such  a  case. 

It  is  only  when  we  come  to  moral  grounds  that  men 
begin  to  urge  this  declaration  with  any  considerable 
degree  of  confidence.  They  reject  it  in  its  applica- 
tion to  material  truths,  to  physical  sciences,  to  busi- 
ness, to  social  intercourse  in  life,  and  hold  to  the 
necessity  of  believing  things  as  they  are,  and  not 
sinjply  sincerely.  It  is  not  until  they  come  to  re- 
ligious truths  that  men  begin  to  say,  "It  does  not 
make  much  difference  what  a  man  believes." 

Let  us  take  the  lower  forms  of  moral  truths,  and 
see  if  it  is  so  in  our  daily  intercourse.  You  go  to 
church  and  hear  your  minister  preach  about  the  ne- 
cessity of  believing  such  and  such  great  doctrines, 
and  on  your  way  home  you  say,  ^^it  is  not  of  so  much 
importance  what  a  man  believes,  if  he  is  only  sincere 
in  it."     When  you  get  home  you  find  that  there  is 


72  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED. 

an  altercation  between  the  boy  and  the  nurse.  There 
is  a  lie  between  them  somewhere.  And  the  child 
falls  on  your  theory,  and  savs  in  respect  to  the 
wrongfulness  of  lying,  *•  Father,  I  do  not  think  it 
makes  much  difference  what  one  believes,  if  he  is 
only  sincere."  What  do  you  think  about  this  theory 
now  ? 

You  are  bringing  up  your  children.  You  can  bring 
them  up  to  believe  in  truth  and  honesty,  or  other- 
wise. Do  you  not  desire  to  bring  them  up  to  be- 
lieve that  honesty  is  the  best  policy?  Do  you  not 
desire  to  bring  them  up  to  believe  that  purity  stands 
connected  Avith  their  prosperity  in  after  life?  Do 
you  not  feel  the  greatest  solicitude  about  the  teach- 
in£:  of  their  minds?  Are  vou  not  determined  that 
they  shall  be  brought  up  to  distinguish  the  difference 
between  truth  and  lies? 

Let  us  apply  the  foregoing  reasonings  and  expla- 
nations to  the  more  important  truths  which  we  are 
set  to  preach.  We  are  set  to  preach  that  this  life  is 
a  very  transient  scene  ;  that  we  are  strangers  and 
pilgrims  here  ;  that  we  are  started  here  to  be  trans- 
planted;  that  we  are  undergoing  a  process  of  educa- 
tion in  this  life,  with  reference  to  a  life  to  come.  The 
prime  truth  which  we  are  set  to  preach  is  the  tran- 
sientness  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  the  jpermanence 
of  the  future  life.  And  it  is  of  supreme  importance 
what  a  man  believes  in  regard  to  that  truth.  If  a 
man  says,  either  practically  or  theoretically,  ''My  ex- 
istence in  this  world  is  all  my  life; "  if  he  ignores  the 
other  life,  and  says,  "  I  shall  live  just  as  long  as  I  live 
here,  and  no  longer,"  his  character  and  conduct  will 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE    PROVED.  73 

be  very  different  from  what  they  would  be  if  he  be- 
lieved in  a  life  beyond  the  grave.  A  man  that  has 
no  belief  in  the  future  will  study  how  to  extract  the 
most  happiness  from  this  life  He  never  can  have  in- 
spirations and  heroisms  who  believes  that  his  life  will 
not  extend  beyond  sixty  or  seventy  years,  like  those 
which  he  experiences  who  believes  that  he  shall  live 
as  long  as  God  Almighty  lives — for  ever  and  for  ever. 

In  this  life  men  commonly  live  imperfect  and  sinful 
lives,  and  do  much  that  is  wrong,  by  voluntary  trans- 
gression, as  well  as  from  the  infirmities  which  come 
from  crudeness  and  ignorance,  where  they  should 
choose  good  or  evil,  right  or  wrong.  Does  it  make 
no  difference  whether  a  man  believes  he  is  sinful  or 
not?  ]f  a  man  is  sick,  does  it  make  no  difference 
whether  he  knows  it  or  not  ?  If  a  man  has  a  disease 
working  in  his  system,  does  it  make  no  difference 
whether  he  understands  it,  and  acts  accordingly,  or 
not?  If  a  man's  soul  is  diseased,  does  it  make  no 
difference  whether  he  believes  it  or  not? 

We  are  taught  in  the  Word  of  God  that  all  men 
are  sin-struck,  and  that  every  man  that  lives  needs 
the  grace  and  forbearance  and  forgiveness  of  God, 
and  moral  renovation  at  the  hands  of  God.  If  a  man 
believes  that  he  is  good  enough,  of  course  he  be- 
comes listless  and  heedless  and  inattentive.  If 
another  man  by  his  side  believes  that  he  is  sinful, 
and  needs  to  be  born  again,  with  what  a  constantly 
quickened  and  watchful  conscience  must  he  needs 
live!  and  how,  with  all  his  moral  power,  must  he 
perpetually  strive  to  live  a  godly  life.  Some  men  be- 
lieve that  though  we  ought  to  become  good,  goodness 
7 


74  THE  TRUTH   OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED. 

is  exclusively  the  creature  of  our  OAvn  volition;  that 
all  men  have  a  spark  of  goodness  in  them,  and  have 
but  to  kindle  that  to  a  flame  in  order  to  be  pervaded 
with  goodness;  that  we  are  all  good  in  a  small  meas- 
ure, and  that  to  become  very  good  we  have  only  to 
cultivate  the  goodness  we  have.  But  the  Scripture 
teaches  us  that  we  must  have  the  beginning  of  our 
spiritual  life  founded  in  the  power  of  God;  and  that 
the  beginnings  of  a  Christian  life  must  come  by  com- 
munication of  our  heart  with  the  heart  of  God. 
Here  are  two  radically  opposite  views.  Does  it 
make  no  difference  which  a  man  takes  ?  One  leads  to 
morality  of  a  lower  kind,  and  the  other  to  religious 
emotions  and  a  religious  life.  They  diverge  and  go 
in  opposite  directions.  It  is  not  my  business  to  show 
which  is  best,  but  to  show  that  one  goes  one  way 
and  the  other  another. 

Does  it  make  no  difference  what  a  man  believes  in 
respect  to  the  character  of  God,  the  nature  of  the 
divine  government  in  this  world,  its  claims  upon  us, 
and  our  obligations  under  it?  If  a  man  believes  that 
God  sits  above  indifferent  to  the  affairs  of  this  life, 
and  too  quiescent  to  attend  to  the  little  disturbances 
of  sin,  and  that  he  overlooks  transgression,  that  man 
must  inevitably  come  to  a  state  of  moral  indifference. 
But  if  a  man  believes  that  God  cannot  look  upon  sin 
with  allowance,  that  he  abhors  iniquity,  and  that  un. 
less  we  turn  from  our  wicked  ways  he  will  lay  his 
hand  on  the  sword,  and  set  himself  forth  as  the  main- 
tainer  of  law,  and  justice,  and  integrity,  that  man  can- 
not help  being  morally  solicitous.  Does  it  make  no 
difference    what  a  man  believes  on  these    subjects? 


THE  TRUTH  OF  THE   BIBLE   PROVED.  75 

Go  into  New  York,  and  in  the  Sixth  Ward  you 
shall  find  two  representative  men.  One  says,  I  voted 
for  the  judge,  and  helped  put  hina  where  he  is,  and  he 
will  wink  at  my  crimes.  I  can  drink  as  much  as  I 
please  on  Sundays  and  on  week-days,  and  he  wmII  not 
disturb  me.  He  is  easy  and  good-natured,  and  he  is 
not  going  to  be  hard  with  nie  if  I  do  break  the  laws 
a  little."  And  the  nnan,  because  he  believes  that  the 
judge  does  not  care  for  his  wickedness,  and  will  not 
punish  him,  growls  bold  and  corrupt  in  transgression. 
But  at  length  he  is  arraigned,  he  is  brought  before 
the  court,  and  he  finds  there  instead  of  his  bribed 
judge,  a  white-faced  man — not  red-faced  ;  one  of  those 
men  with  a  long  head  upw^ard — not  backward  and 
downward ;  a  man  with  no  rolling  or  rocking  of  the 
eye  at  all;  a  man  with  a  full  value  of  justice  and 
truth.  The  culprit  begins  to  make  shuffling  excuses. 
The  judge  listens  to  none  of  them,  and  reads  the 
law^,  and  says,  "  Your  conduct  is  herein  condemned," 
and  sends  him  away  to  receive  his  just  deserts. 
When  the  man  has  expiated  his  crime,  he  goes  around 
in  the  same  ward,  and  says,  ^' You  must  walk  straight 
hereafter.  The  judge  that  sits  on  the  bench  now  is 
not  the  jolly  old  judge  that  used  to  sit  there.  If  you 
go  before  him  he  will  make  you  smart.'*  Does  it  not 
make  a  difference  what  a  man  believes  about  a  judge? 
If  he  believes  that  he  is  a  lenient,  conniving  judge, 
does  it  not  make  him  careless  ?  and  if  he  believes 
that  he  is  a  straightforward,  just  judge,  does  it  not 
make  him  afraid  of  transgression  ? 

Now  lift  up  the  judge's  bench,  and  make  it  the 
judgment-seat;  and  take  out  the  human   judge,  and 


76  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE   PROVED. 

put  God  Almighty  there.  If  men  believe  him  to  be 
an  all-smiling  God  ;  a  God  that  is  all  sunshine  ;  an  all- 
sympathizing  God  ;  a  God  that  is  nothing  but  kind- 
ness and  goodness  and  gentleness,  they  say  to  them- 
selves, "We  will  do  as  we  have  a  mind  to."  Take 
away  that  miserable  slander  upon  the  revealed  char- 
acter of  God,  and  lift  up  the  august  front  of  Justice, 
on  whose  brow  love  proudly  sits,  and  let  men  see 
that  there  is  a  vast  Heart  of  love  and  gentleness,  in- 
deed, but  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty,  and 
they  will  take  more  heed  to  their  conduct.  Does  it^ 
then,  make  no  diftereuce  v/hat  a  man  believes  about 
God's  nature,  and  his  manner  of  dealing  with  men  ? 
It  makes  all  the  difference  between  laxity  and  earnest- 
ness ;  between  an  endeavor  to  live  truly  and  no  en- 
deavor at  all  in  that  direction ;  between  right  and 
wrong  conduct. 

What,  then,  is  the  application,  finally,  of  this? 
Why,  it  is  just  this:  that  it  makes  all  the  difference 
in  the  world  what  you  believe  in  respect  to  these 
truths  that  stand  connected  with  godliness;  that 
stand  connected  with  purity  of  thought,  purity  of  mo- 
tive, purity  of  disposition. 

On  such  questions  as  pertain  to  true  piety,  to  right 
and  wrong,  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  very  explicit, 
"  For  there  is  a  way  which  seemeth  right  to  a  man  ; 
but  the  end  thereof  are  the  ways  of  death."  Before 
the  apostle  Paul's  conversion,  be  says,  ^'  I  verily 
thought  with  myself  that  I  ought  to  do  many  things 
contrary  to  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth."  In  this  he 
was  sincere,  but  mistaken.  Therefore  in  reference 
to  right  living,  you  need  the  Bible  for  your  constant 


THE   TRUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE  PROVED.  77 

guide.  It  is  God's  medicine  book.  You  are  sick. 
You  are  mortally  struck  through  with  disease.  There 
is  no  human  remedy  for  your  trouble.  But  here  is 
^  God's  medicine  book.  If  you  read  it  for  life,  for 
health,  for  growth  in  righteousness,  then  blessed  is 
your  reading  of  it ;  but  if  you  read  it  for  disputation 
and  dialectical  ingenuities,  it  is  no  more  to  you  than 
Bacon's  "Novum  Organum"  would  be. 

It  is  the  book  of  life  ;  it  is  the  book  of  everlasting 
life  ;  so  take  heed  how  you  read  it.  In  reading  it  see 
that  you  have  the  truth,  and  not  the  mere  semblance 
of  it.  You  cannot  live  without  it.  You  die  forever 
unless  you  have  it  to  teach  you  what  are  your  rela- 
tions to  God  and  eternity.  May  God  guide  you 
away  from  all  cunning  appearances  of  truth  set  to  de- 
ceive men,  and  make  you  love  the  truth.  Above  all 
other  things  may  God  make  you  honest  in  interpreting 
it  and  applying  it  to  your  daily  life  and  disposition. 
7* 


(2.)  m  AND  HIS  MORAL  60YERNMENT. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A   SUPREME  MORAL  GOVERNOR  INDISPENSABLE. 

Without  a  supreme  Almighty  Governor,  control- 
ling the  planetary  worlds  by  providential  laws,  there 
would  be  continuous  confusion  anaong  them.  And, 
in  order  that  the  human  family  may  be  restrained 
and  regulated  in  their  relations  to  their  Maker  and 
each  other,  in  a  moral  point  of  view,  He  must  exert 
not  only  a  providential  but  a  moral  government  over 
them,  with  just  and  absolute  laws  and  retributive 
penalties,  and  efifective  motives  adapted  to  promote 
obedience  to  these  laws,  by  appealing  to  their  love, 
their  sense  of  gratitude,  and  their  fears.  And  in  the 
state  or  nation  there  must  be  a  supreme  human  gov- 
ernor, to  whom  strict  obedience  should  be  rendered 
by  the  people.  "  Let  every  soul  be  subject  to  the 
higher  powers,  for  there  is  no  power  but  of  God." 
And  in  the  family  the  husband  and  father  must  be 


GOD  AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT.    79 

the  head  and  governor,  in  order  to  secure  peace  and 
prosperity  among  its  members.  "  The  head  of  every 
man  is  Christ,  and  the  head  of  the  woman  is  the 
man."  "  Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own 
husbands,  as  unto  the  Lord."  "  Servants,  be  obe- 
dient to  them  that  are  your  masters  according  to  the 
flesh,  as  unto  Christ." 

And  from  experience  and  observation  we  know 
that  where  there  is  no  recognized  head  and  governor 
to  enforce  law  and  authority,  there  must  be  continual 
discord,  fretfulness,  and  confusion  in  the  family. 
And  with  such  facts  before  us,  we  are  convinced  that 
all  free  moral  agents,  capable  of  knowing  right  from 
wrong,  need  a  supreme  moral  governor  to  regulate 
all  their  moral  conduct  by  moral  laws,  enforced  with 
rewards  and  penalties. 

As  Dr.  Hawes  observes:  "The  moral  government 
of  God  is  a  government  of  law  and  motive,  adminis- 
tered over  men  through  the  instrumentality  of  re- 
wards and  punishments,  to  be  awarded  to  them  ac- 
cording to  their  respective  characters.  Take  away, 
now,  the  doctrine  of  a  future  state  of  retribution,  and 
what,  I  ask,  becomes  of  the  moral  government  of 
God  ?  It  is  deprived  of  all  its  power  to  influence  the 
heart  and  life,  because  deprived  of  all  the  motives  by 
which  it  secures  obedience  and  deters  from  crime.  Its 
laws  cease  to  be  laws,  and  become  mere  counsel  or 
advice,  with  no  sanctions  to  enforce  their  claims, 
and  no  means  to  act  on  men  as  voluntary  and  ac- 
countable agents.  Let  not  the  stale  sophism  be  re- 
peated that  men  are  rewarded  and  punished  in  this 
life    according   to    their    deserts.     If    anything   can 


80  GOD   AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT. 

prove  moral  insanity,  it  is  a  belief  that  God  now  dis. 
penses  rewards  and  pmiisbments  to  men  according  to 
their  respective  characters.  Nothing  can  be  plainer, 
than  that  neither  '  love  nor  hatred  can  be  known'  by 
the  condition  of  men  in  this  world.  Deny  then  that 
there  is  a  future  state,  in  which  the  righteous  are  to 
be  rewarded  and  the  wicked  punished,  and  you  sweep 
away  every  vestige  of  a  righteous  moral  governiiient 
over  the  children  of  men.  The  whole  world  be- 
comes a  vast  scene  of  disorder  and  confusion,  '■  where 
mankind  may  live  as  they  list  and  fare  as  they  can, 
having  nothing  to  dread,  and  nothing  to  hope  for  here- 
after, on  account  of  anything  they  do,  or  neglect  to 
do,  in  this  life.'  For  what  remains,  I  ask,  to  engage 
obedience  or  prevent  transgression,  when  the  sanc- 
tions of  the  divine  government  are  gone  ?  Do  you 
say  gratitude  and  love — the  pleasure  of  doing  right 
and  the  remorse  of  doing  wrong?  Try  the  experi- 
ment in  regard  to  human  governments.  Let  it  be 
proclaimed  throughout  the  community,  and  among 
all  classes  of  rogues  and  villains,  that  there  are  no 
courts  of  justice,  no  prisons,  no  places  or  instruments 
of  justice;  what,  suppose  you,  would  be  the  effect  ? 
Would  the  pleasure  of  doing  right  engage  obedience 
to  the  laws,  or  secure  the  peace  and  good  order  of 
society  ?  Would  the  inconveniences  of  remorse  pre- 
vent swindling  and  theft,  robbery  and  murder,  and 
convert  all  the  outcasts  of  society  into  honest  and 
good  men  ?  Why  then  talk  of  gratitude  and  love,  of 
the  present  pleasures  of  virtue  and  sufferings  of  vice, 
as  sufficient  to  secure  obedience  under  the  divine 
government  ?      If    a   system    of    human   legislation 


GOD   AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT.  81 

without  rewards  and  punishments  would  be  altogether 
inefficacious  and  nugatory,  why  would  not  the  same 
be  true  of  the  divine  government? 

"  Whatever  view  1  take  of  the  subject,  to  me  it 
seems  too  plain  to  admit  of  denial,  that  Universalism 
destroys  the  divine  moral  government,  and  takes  from 
God  a  character,  in  the  belief  of  which  we  can  alone 
approach  him  acceptably;  that  of  his  being  a  're- 
warder  of  them  that  dih'geutly  seek  him.'  Heh.  xi:  6. 

^*  It  of  course  denies  the  present  to  be  a  state  of 
probation.  Such  a  state  implies  that  men  are  now  on 
trial  for  eternity;  that  they  are  acting  under  the  gov- 
ernment of  God,  with  reference  to  a  future  retribu- 
tion ;  and  that  there  is  an  inseparable  connection  be- 
tween their  conduct  in  this  life  and  their  condition  in 
the  life  to  come." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  PERFECT   GOODNESS   AND   SEVERITY  OF  GOD 
IN   GOVERNMENT. 

The  goodness  of  God  comprises  in  an  infinite  de- 
gree every  amiable  and  moral  quality.  "  God  is 
love."  He  is  impartially  benevolent.  He  is  dis- 
posed to  communicate  to  his  creatures  the  greatest 
amount  of  happiness  of  which  their  moral  characters 
are  susceptible.  He  is  disposed  to  bestow  upon  them 
every  blessing  which  is  proper  and  best  for  them, 
and  which  is  consistent  for  Him  in  view  of  His  own 
glory  and  the  highest  good  of  the  universe,  to  bestow 
for  time  and  eternity. 

God's  goodness  is  manifest  in  Creation,  Providence 
and  Redemption.  The  fact  that  God  has  so  adapted 
the  external  world  and  our  intellectual,  moral  and 
pliysical  constitutions  as  to  make  us  happ}',  proves  his 
benevolence  toward  us.  As  God's  will,  expressed  in 
his  moral  law,  requires  us  to  be  universally  and  per- 
fectly benevolent,  he  must  be  perfectly  benevolent 
himself. 


GOD   AND   HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMEMT.  83 

As  God's  will  awards  eternal  happiness  to  the  be- 
nevolent, and  eternal  misery  to  the  malevolent,  he 
must  also  be  infinitely  and  perfectly  benevolent  him* 
self. 

But  it  may  be  objected  that  our  sufferings  here  are 
inconsistent  with  God's  perfect  benevolence.  I  reply, 
pain  is  only  incidental  to  the  attainment  of  a  benevo- 
lent end.  Teeth  were  not  made  to  ache — pain  is  only 
incidental  to  their  existence  and  abuse.  All  suffer- 
ing is  the  result  of  infraction  of  laws  established  for 
the  accomplishment  of  benevolent  ends.  It  may  also 
be  objected  that  the  existence  of  sin,  and  its  penalty, 
is  inconsistent  with  God's  perfect  benevolence.  I 
reply,  our  non-existence  would  be  a  greater  negative 
evil,  depriving  the  human  family  of  the  happiness 
which  so  greatly  exceeds  the  misery  in  the  present 
world.  And  as  we  hope  that  the  number  finally 
saved  (reckoning  all  young  infants  and  the  greatly 
surpassing  millions  of  Christians  who  will  live  in  the 
millenium  age)  over  those  who  have  previously  died 
in  impenitence,  will  make  it  better  on  the  whole  for 
the  race  to  have  existed  than  not  to  have  existed. 

Furthermore,  it  seems  probable  as  all  free  agents 
are  liable  to  sin,  that  God  cannot  wisely  prevent  all 
sin  in  the  best  system  of  moral  government.  It  may 
be  impracticable  to  construct  and  regulate  the  best 
physical,  intellectual  and  moral  universe,  in  any  way 
so  as  to  avoid  all  friction.  Our  most  profound  di- 
vines think  that  this  world  seems  to  have  been  de- 
signed for  the  happiness  of  virtuous  beings,  and  in 
accomplishing  this,  disciplinary  chastisements  to  sin- 
ners are  incidental  and  absolutely  necessary.     As  the 


84:    GOD  AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT. 

most  skillful  machiuist  is  unable  to  avoid  all  friction 
in  machinery,  though  he  should  possess  many  million 
of  limes  his  present  power  and  skill,  it  may  not  be 
within  the  province  of  Almighty  power  and  infinite 
wisdom,  so  to  construct  and  create  a  system,  inhabi- 
ted by  free  moral  and  responsible  agents,  so  as  to 
avoid  all  liability  to  the  commission  of  sin,  which  in- 
evitably ensures  suffering  at  some  period  of  physical 
and  moral  existence. 

The  divine  method  of  government  is  not  arbitrary, 
unreasonable,  or  needlessly  severe,  and  therefore  it 
is  absolutely  just,  and  the  moat  perfect  government 
for  controlling  men.  Hence  it  should  be  the  model 
of  all  human  governments.  In  God's  moral  govern- 
ment, goodness  and  forbearance  are  exercised  to 
their  utmost  limits.  But  when  kindness  and  persua- 
sion have  been  employed  to  their  utmost,  and  have 
failed  to  preserve  obedience  and  uprightness,  or  to 
restrain  and  reclaim  the  stubborn  and  persistent  of- 
fender from  the  violation  of  law,  God  applies  the  se- 
verest and  most  frightful  penalties. 

''  Behold,  therefore,  the  goodness  and  severity  of 
God  ;  on  them  which  fell,  severity  ;  but  toward  thee, 
goodness;  otherwise  thou  shalt  be  cut  off." 

And  this  kind  of  government  which  encourages  vir- 
tue by  rewards,  and  restrains  sin  by  fearful  penalties, 
is  the  most  effective,  whether  divine  or  human,  for 
maintaining  authority  and  in  securing  the  most  per- 
fect obedience. 

Is  there  not  some  danger,  in  the  present  day,  of 
God's  love  being  presented  to  sinners  to  the  exclu- 
sion altogether  of  his  justice  ?     The  late  F.  W.  Rob- 


GOD   AND  HIS  MORAL   GOVERNMENT.  85 

ertson  speaks  well  on  this  subject:  ''Here  is  an 
eternal  truth  with  which  we  would  not  part :  God 
must  hate  sin,  and  be  forever  sin's  enemy.  Be- 
cause He  is  the  Lord  of  love,  therefore  must  he  be  a 
consuming  fire  to  evil.  God  is  against  evil,  but  for 
us.  If,  then,  we  sin,  He  must  be  against  us.  In  sin- 
ning, we  identify  ourselves  with  evil,  therefore  we 
must  endure  the  consuming  fire.  0  brethren,  in  this 
soft  age  in  which  we  live,  it  is  good  to  fall  back  on 
the  first  principles  of  everlasting  truth.  We  have 
come  to  think  that  education  may  be  maintained  by 
mere  laws  of  love,  instead  of  discipline,  and  that  pub- 
lic punishment  may  be  abolished.  We  say  that  these 
things  are  contrary  to  the  gospel ;  and  here,  doubt- 
less, there  is  an  underlying  truth.  It  is  true  that 
there  may  be  a  severity  in  education  which  defeats 
itself;  it  is  true  that  love  and  tenderness  may  do 
more  tJian  severity — but  yet  under  a  system  of  mere 
love  and  tenderness,  no  character  can  acquire  manli- 
ness or  firmness.  When  you  have  once  got  rid  of 
the  idea  of  public  punishment,  then  by  degrees 
you  will  also  get  rid  of  the  idea  of  siu.  Where 
is  it  written  in  the  word  of  God  that  the  sword  of 
his  minister  is  to  be  borne  in  vain  ?  In  this  world  of 
groaning  and  of  anguish,  tell  us  where  it  is  that  the 
law  which  links  sufi'ering  to  sin  has  ceased  to  act? 
Nay,  so  long  as  there  is  evil,  so  long  will  there  be 
penalty,  and  woe  to  that  man  who  attempts  to  con- 
tradict the  eternal  system  of  God.  So  long  as  the 
spirit  of  evil  ir  in  the  world,  so  long  must  human  pun- 
ishment remain  to  bear  its  testimony  that  the  God  of 
the  universe  is  a  righteous  God." 
8 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

ERRONEOUS  VIEWS  OF  GOD  CORRECTED. 

In  the  palmy  days  and  innocency  of  our  first 
parents,  the  woman  said  nnto  the  serpent,  "  We  may 
eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  trees  of  the  garden.  But  of 
the  tree  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  God 
hath  said,  *  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  it,  neither  shall  ye 
touch  it,  lest  ye  die/  "  And  the  serpent  said  unto 
the  womany  "  Ye  shall  not  surely  die."  But  they 
yielded  to  the  temptation  of  the  adversary,  by  sin- 
ning against  God,  and  brought  ruin  upon  all  their 
descendents. 

They,  while  in  a  state  of  innocency,  were  overcome 
by  temptation  ;  but  their  descendents  ever  since,  be- 
ing in  a  state  of  apostacy,  have  yielded  more  easily 
to  the  temptation  of  false  reasoning,  in  reference  to 
the  character  of  God  and  His  government,  and  the 
threatened  penalty  of  His  violated  lav^s  upon  all  im- 
penitent sinners.  And  from  erroneous  premises 
some  of  their  posterity  falsely  reason  that  the  pater- 


GOD  AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT.  87 

nal  and  compassionate  character  of  the  Almighty  is 
such  that  He  can  never  execute  upon  the  most  per- 
sistent and  rebellious  of  any  of  the  children  of  His 
own  creation  the  penalty  of  ^'  eternal  punishment," 
as  He  threatens  so  repeatedly  in  His  most  Holy 
Word.  But  in  reference  to  all  such  fallacious  reason- 
ers  God  says,  '^  Thou  thoughtest  that  I  was  alto- 
gether such  a  one  as  thyself;  but  I  will  reprove  thee 
and  set  them  in  order  before  thine  eyes." 

And  it  is,  it  seems  to  me,  just  here  that  the  funda- 
mental error  and  false  method  of  reasoning  concern- 
ing the  moral  character  of  God  commences,  on  the 
part  of  those  who  deny  the  eternal  punishment  of  the 
impenitent  dead.  They  falsely  maintain  that  the 
Almighty  and  Just  Governor  of  mankind  will  be  con- 
trolled like  themselves  by  human  sympathy  toward 
the  incorrigibly  wicked,  rather  than  by  absolute  jus« 
tice. 

Under  these  new  circumstances,  with  the  increased 
power  of  the  great  tempter,  false  and  heretical  teach- 
ers have  arisen,  who  maintain  "  that  all  we  can  know 
of  the  divine  nature  must  be  learned  by  reasoning 
from  those  elements  and  qualities  which  are  found  in 
the  human  constitution."  They  maintain  that  man 
was  made  in  the  divine  image,  with  certain  qualities, 
that  by  his  moral  consciousness  he  might  have  a  true 
and  vital  conception  of  his  Heavenly  Father. 

Now  if  this  be  a  correct  method  of  reasoninof,  from 
human  nature  in  a  state  of  moral  uprightness,  must 
it  not  be  a  dangerous  and  absurd  fallacy  when  applied 
to  the  same  nature  in  a  state  of  apostacy  and  rebel- 
lion ?     By   reasoning   from    man's  disordered    finite 


8S  GOD  AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT. 

moral  powers,  to  the  perfect  and  infinite  moral  na- 
ture of  Jehovah,  does  it  not  lead  us  ''  to  think  of  men 
above  that  which  is  written"  more  highly  than  we 
ought  to  think  ?  Does  it  not  encourage  the  funda- 
mental errors  of  "  false  teachers,  who  bring  in  dam- 
nable heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought 
them,  and  bringing  upon  themselves  swift  destruc- 
tion?" 

Is  it  not  a  false  method  of  reasoning  from  our  con- 
stitutional dread  of  suffering,  and  from  our  natural 
compassion,  as  well  as  our  very  low  estimate  of  the 
evil  of  sin  and  its  dreadful  consequences,  that  God 
will  not  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds 
in  "the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God?"^ 

Is  it  not  more  rational  and  logical  to  learn  God's 
true  character  and  government  as  He  manifests  Him- 
self in  His  providence  and  from  the  definite  teachings 
of  his  infallible  word?  All  that  the  goodness  of 
God's  character  demands  is  that  He  govern  in  such  a 
maDuer  as  will  secure  the  greatest  practicable  amount 
of  good  in  the  universe.  That  great  temporal  suffer- 
ings are  consistent  with  this,  is  proved  by  facts  ;  and 
who  but  God  is  competent  to  decide  that  the  eternal 
sufferings  of  those  who  die  in  sin  and  impenitence 
are  not  consistent?  His  character  demands  that  He 
should  restrain  the  greatest  possible  number  from  sin- 
ning by  threatening  the  most  dreadful  penalty. 

Therefore  are  the  impenitent  dead  "  set  for  an  ex- 
ample, suffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire."  It  is 
very  plain  to  every  real  Christian  (if  not  to  unbeliev- 
ers) that  God  has  clearly  revealed  Himself,  in  nature 


GOD  AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT.  89 

and  revelation,  as  a  Being  of  perfect  goodness,  jus- 
tice, mercy  and  truth.  And  those  who  believe  in  or 
worship  an  imaginary  being  with  different  attributes, 
are  "vain  in  their  imaginations,  and  their  foolish  heart 
is  darkened  ;  and  change  the  glory  of  the  incorrupti- 
ble God  into  an  image  made  like  to  corruptible  man  ; " 
and  are  doomed  to  fearful  disappointments  in  the 
judgment  day. 

"  The  Lord  is  long  suffering,  and  of  great  mercy, 
forgiving  iniquity  amd  transgression,  and  by  no  means 
clearing  the  guilty.'^  "  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  in- 
to the  hands  of  the  living  God."  **  Except  ye  repent, 
ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  *'  What  wilt  thou  say 
when  He  shall  punish  thee  ?  " 
8* 


CHAPTER    XY. 

MYSTERY    OF    MYSTERIES.     SIN    AND    SUFFERING. 

It  seems  difficult  if  not  impossible  for  us  to  per- 
ceive how  to  reconcile  the  perfect  goodness,  wisdom 
and  power  of  the  Almighty,  with  His  sufferance  of 
sin,  contention  and  misery,  in  our  world,  and  in  the 
endless  punishment  of  impenitent  sinners  beyond  the 
present  life.  But  nature  and  revelation  teach  us 
that  these  are  facts  in  the  Divine  character,  and  in 
the  administration  of  His  providential  and  moral  gov- 
ernment. Hence  we  must  conclude  that  God  in  His 
infinite  knowledge  perceives  that  there  is  harmony 
and  consistency  between  these  facts,  which  appear  to 
our  finite  minds  unreasonable  and  irreconcilable.  Of 
course  with  our  very  limited  powers,  we  do  not  and 
cannot  know  that  omniscience  and  omnipotence 
could  wisely  create  and  constitute  a  system  of  moral 
government,  with  free,  intelligent,  moral  agents,  who 
should  not  be  liable  to  sin,  and  suffer  both  here  and 
hereafter. 


GOD   AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT.  91 

Hence  we  may  wisely  conclude  that  what  God 
does,  He  knows  to  be  on  the  whole,  the  wisest  and 
best,  and  it  becomes  us  to  be  both  submissive  and 
trustful,  for  he  can  be  neither  arbitrary,  unreasonable 
or  malevolent. 

As  Prof.  Wright  observes,  "The  greatest  of  all 
mysteries  is  that  God  has  thus  endowed  man  with 
free-will,  and  has  allowed  him  to  sin;  yet  the  facts 
cannot  be  disputed.  God  has  created  man  in  his 
own  image,  and  suffered  him  to  deface  it.  God  has 
made  for  himself  a  temple  in  the  human  heart,  and 
suffered  it  to  be  defiled.  The  reason  cannot  solve 
the  parodox  of  an  Almighty  and  Benevolent  Being 
hating  sin,  and  yet  not  preventing  it.  The  essential 
mystery  shrouding  this  question  does  not  pertain  to 
the  endless  continuance  of  punishment  or  sin,  but  to 
the  permission  of  sin  at  all,  and  of  the  evils  we  know 
to  follow  in  its  train.  The  monotonous  list  of  crimes 
that  is  served  up  to  us  at  each  breakfast  by  the  daily 
papers,  should  restrain  us  from  speculating  too  freely 
upon  the  Creator's  power  to  eliminate  sin  from  the 
system  He  has  established.  Perhaps  the  elimination 
of  sin  would  involve  the  elimination  of  the  system. 
Now  that  the  creation  exists,  it  is  our  province  to 
study  the  conditions  of  its  existence,  and  to  adjust 
ourselves  to  them.  In  speculating  with  reference  to 
what  the  Creator  will  do,  we  are  not  at  liberty 
to  close  our  eyes  to  what  He  has  done.  What 
we  know  is  the  only  proper  basis  from  which  to  rea- 
son  with  reference  to  what  we  do  not  know.  From 
the  existence  of  sin  we  know  that  there  is  some  in- 
herent difficuhy  in  the  way  of  securing  the  universal 


92  GOD   AND   HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT. 

reign  of  righteousness  among  beings  possessed  of 
such  powers  as  the  Creator  has  bestowed  upon  the 
human  race.  The  wisdom  of  God  appears  in  the 
creation  as  well  as  in  the  government  of  His  crea- 
tures. The  wisdom  displayed  in  the  Creator's  plan 
of  government  cannot  run  counter  to  that  displayed 
in  the  creation.  God  has  seen  fit  to  make  us  so  that 
we  can  defy  His  authority.  God  has  seen  fit  to 
create  the  world  so  that  as  a  result  of  sin  there  is  an 
untold  amount  of  misery  in  it.  When  any  one  can 
reconcile  the  present  state  of  things  in  this  world 
with  his  ideas  of  divine  goodness,  and  wisdom, 
and  power,  we  will  listen  to  his  speculative  argu- 
ments against  endless  punishment." 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

WHY  DO  THE  BEST  OF  CHRISTIANS  SOMETIMES 

SUFFER  m  THIS   LIFE  MORE  THAN  THE 

WORST  OF  SINNERS? 

"  The  goodness  of  God  endureth  continually."  '^  0 
that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for  His  goodness, 
and  for  His  wonderful  words  to  the  children  of  men." 
"  For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment, 
worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory."  From  this  declaration  concerning 
affliction,  Christians  will  doubtless  be  much  happier 
in  heaven  for  their  innocent  sufferings  on  earth. 
From  this  inspired  statement  concerning  affliction, 
it  seems  probable  that  the  best  of  Christians,  who 
sometimes  suffer  more  here  than  the  grossly  wicked, 
may  experience  greater  happiness  in  heaven  in  pro- 
portion to  their  sufferings  in  this  life. 

It  is  plainly  the  teachings  of  Scripture  that  the  or- 
dinary afflictions  of  life,  when  righly  improved,  are  a 
means  of  sanctification,  promoting  our  present  and 
future  blessedness.     "  Earthly  sufferings  increase  our 


94  GOD  AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT. 

heavenly  ^lory."  "  The  affliction/'  as  one  has  said, 
"  is  in  order  to  the  glory."  It  has  (as  sanctification) 
a  positive  and  most  important  agency  in  preparing 
believers  for  their  future  triumph. 

^' Whom  the  Lord  loveth  He  chasteneth/'  and  the 
troubles  of  this  life  are  the  crucible  in  which  He 
purges  His  people  of  their  dross  and  reiines  their 
graces." 

''Our  trials  come  in  mercy.  The  painful  mysteries 
of  our  lot,  our  losses,  our  distresses,  our  conflicts,  are 
the  assayers  fine,  designed  and  adapted  to  consume 
the  dross  and  refine  the  gold.  He  afflicts  not  willing- 
ly, but  because  He  is  a  Father;  and,  as  a  Father, 
whom  He  chastens  He  will  gloriously  reward." 

And,  still  further,  may  we  not  rationally  and  hope- 
fully consider  it  probable  that  in  the  future  world  it 
will  be  found  that  the  greatest  sufferings  of  those 
who  were  most  perfectly  sanctified  here  will  be  re. 
warded  wnth  an  increased  weight  of  glory  ?  Will 
not  those  who  were  the  most  holy  in  this  life,  who 
have  been  the  greatest  sufferers  here,  be  in  some 
measure  and  proportion  rewarded  with  a  higher  state 
of  blessedness  in  heaven  ?  Will  not  the  inexplicable 
mystery  of  their  greatest  sufferings  here  be  in  a  meas- 
ure solved  by  the  compensation  of  more  glorious  re- 
wards hereafter  ?  May  not  such  afflictions  especially 
"  work  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory  ?  " 

"  For  God  has  marked  each  sorrowing  day, 
And  numbered  every  secret  tear. 
And  Heaven's  long  age  of  bliss  shall  pay, 
For  all  His  children  suffer  here." 


GOD  AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT.  95 

In  Heaven,  "  every  man  shall  receive  his  own  re- 
ward, according  to  his  own  labor.''  His  reward  shall 
be  in  proportion  to  his  faithfulness  in  his  Master's 
service.  He  shall  *'  receive  the  things  done  in  his 
body,  according  to  that  he  hath  done."  And  if  the 
best  and  most  faithful  w^orkers  in  the  vineyard  of 
the  Lord,  in  the  world  of  glory,  shall  be  rewarded 
with  increased  felicity  and  blessedness  in  proportion 
to  their  faithful  services  in  this  w^orld  shall  not  the 
most  purely  sanctified  of  God's  deeply  afflicted  chil- 
dren, who  suffer  most  here,  be  compensated  with  an 
increased  and  "  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory"  hereafter  ? 

If  the  devoted  missionary  of  the  cross,  in  Christian 
or  in  heathen  land,  who  has  "  turned  many  to  right- 
eousness "  shall  have  a  proportionate  number  of  stars 
in  his  crown  of  rejoicing  in  that  day  when  God  shall 
make  up  His  jewels,  shall  not  the  sanctified  Christian 
who  has  spent  the  greater  portion  of  a  long  life  '*  in 
the  furnace  of  affliction,  seven  times  heated,"  with 
such  patient  and  submissive  fortitude  as  to  adorn 
religion  with  increased  lustre,  and  has  done  more 
good,  and  thus  impressed  the  world  with  its  imperish- 
able value  and  importance,  be  compensated  with  an 
increased  degree  of  imperishable  glory  in  heaven? 

When  we  contemplate  the  unfathomable  mysteries 
of  sin  and  suffering,  which  prevail  in  our  world  and 
baffle  our  sagacity,  we  must  modestly  refer  the  dif- 
ficulties by  which  we  are  embarrassed,  to  our  own 
ignorance,  and  find  consolation  and  satisfaction  in  the 
thought  that  there  must  be  principles  or  facts  yet  un- 
discovered by  finite  minds,  which  if  understood  and 


96  GOD  AND  HIS  MORAL  GOVERNMENT. 

comprehended  would  perfectly  explain  them  and  ren- 
der them  reasonable  and  consistent.  We  should  now 
endeavor  to  realize  that  these  infinitesimal  facts  are 
only  parts  of  a  stupendous  whole.  We  must  rest  as- 
sured that  although  "  clouds  and  darkness  are  round 
about  Him,  righteousness  and  judgment  are  the  habi- 
tation of  His  throne." 


(3.)  RETRIBUTION. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 

PROBATION  LIMITED  TO   THE  PRESENT  LIFE. 

The  Bible  plainly  teaches  that  the  present  life  is 
man's  only  period  for  preparing  for  his  eternal  home, 
and  the  future  life  is  the  place  for  his  permanent 
and  endless  retribution.  Its  language  is  explicit,  and 
fearfully  emphatic.  "  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God.  Be 
ye  also  ready.  Flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  The 
time  is  short.  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do, 
do  it  with  thy  might;  for  there  is  no  work,  nor  device, 
nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom,  in  the  grave  whither  thou 
goest."  Yet  with  all  such  alarming  admonitions,  men 
now  dead  in  trespasses  and  sin,  while  the  Scriptures 
reason  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment 
to  come,  like  trembling  Felix,  answer  :  "  Go  thy  way 
for  this  time,  when  I  have  a  convenient  season  I  will 
call  for  thee."  But  God  says,  "  It  is  appointed  unto 
men  once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judgment." 
9 


98  RETRIBUTION. 

"  For  we  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment  seat 
of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things  done 
in  his  body,  according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether 
it  be  good  or  bad.'^ 

And  in  addition  to  such  teachings  as  these,  it  is 
plainly  taught  that  there  is  permanence  of  character 
for  all  the  dead.  '^  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  un- 
just still  ;  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still ; 
and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous  still } 
and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy  still." 

If  the  Bible  were  merely  silent  on  the  point  of  pro- 
bation beyond  the  gravd',  it  would  be  equivalent  to 
the  denial  of  such  a  state,  for  the  love  of  men  for 
sinful  gratification  now,  induces  them  to  defer  repent- 
ance and  reformation  as  long  as  they  dare.  And  cer- 
tainly, if  they  could  reasonably  hope  for  another  trial 
after  death,  they  ^\ould  be  greatly  relieved  from  the 
present  solicitude  in  reference  to  their  future  condi» 
tion.  And  if  the  truth  in  the  matter  could  relieve 
their  fearful  anxiety,  in  reference  to  their  future  state, 
would  not  God  dissipate  their  needless  solicitude,  by 
disclosing  the  fact  of  a  future  probation  ?  But  by  ex- 
amining His  word  we  find  not  the  slightest  intima- 
tion that  those  who  die  in  impenitency  and  unbelief^ 
will  ever  turn  from  sin  to  holiness. 

The  Scriptures  are  indeed  very  explicit,  in  warn^ 
ing  men  now  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ;  but 
they  shed  not  a  solitary  ray  of  light  on  the  way  of  es- 
cape from  sin  and  misery  in  the  future  world.  They 
do  not  intimate  that  there  is  any  such  thing  as  pass- 
ing from  hell  to  heaven. 

In  the  parable  of  the  wise  and  foolish  virgins,  who 


RETRIBUTION".  99 

represent  the  condition  of  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked  in  the  future  world,  we  find  that  the  former 
being  in  readiness  for  the  feast  were  admitted,  and 
the  latter  were  forever  excluded.  "  The  bridegroom 
came;  and  they  that  were  ready  went  in  with  him  to 
the  marriage,  and  the  door  was  shut.  Afterwards 
came  also  the  other  virgins,  saying  Lord,  Lord,  open 
to  us.  But  he  answered  and  said,  verily  I  say  unto 
you,  T  know  you  not.  Watch  therefore  ;  for  ye  know 
neither  the  day  nor  the  hour  wherein  the  Son  of  Man 
Cometh." 

As  we  know  not  when  our  Lord  shall  call  us  away 
from  this  life,  we  must  be  constantly  prepared  so  that 
we  may  then  be  admitted  to  heaven,  for  those  who 
are  then  unprepared  can  never  be  admitted. 

In  the  parable  of  the  barren  fig  tree,  we  are  taught 
that  this  life  is  a  season  of  probationary  discipline; 
but  there  is  no  indication  of  any  future  trial  period. 
After  the  tree  had  been  sufficiently  tried,  the  owner 
of  the  vineyard  directed  the  dresser  to  cut  it  down. 
^' Why  cumbereth  it  the  ground?"  And  certainly 
after  it  is  cut  down,  it  cannot  be  tried  again.  And 
the  sinner  who  is  cut  off  from  this  life  will  not  have 
another  probationary  trial. 

If  men  were  to  have  a  future  probation,  they  might 
wisely  give  their  whole  attention  now  to  the  things 
of  this  life,  and  attend  to  religion  after  death.  But 
the  Scriptures  discountenance  entirely  such  a  course. 
Their  language  is  directly  the  reverse.  "  Seek  ye 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteousness." 
Make  religion  your  present  business.  "To-day,  if  ye 
will  hear  His  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts."     It  is 


100  RETRIBUTION. 

folly  to  seek  the  world  now,  with  the  hope  of  an  op- 
portunity to  prepare  for  heaven  hereafter.  "  For 
what  shall  it  profit  a  man  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole 
world  and  lose  his  own  soul."  He  must  seek  his 
salvation  now,  or  fail  forever.  For  Jesus  has  said, 
"  I  go  my  way,  and  ye  shall  seek  me,  and  shall  die  in 
your  sins ;  whither  I  go  ye  cannot  come."  And  in 
His  comiDission  to  His  disciples  He  giv^es  no  intima- 
tion that  men  can  prepare  for  heaven  after  death. 
''  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature.  He  that  believeth,  and  is  baptized, 
shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be 
damned."  Sinners  must  believe  now,  and  be  saved, 
or  never  enter  heaven. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

NO  SECOND   PROBATION  IN  THE  INTERMEDIATE 

STATE,   OR  DURING  THE   SLEEP   OF  THE 

BODIES  OF  THE   DEAD. 

Here  let  us  inquire  what  is  to  be  the  condition  of 
the  soul  between  death  and  the  judgment.  Is  this 
intermediate  state  one  in  which  the  offers  of  mercy 
through  Christ,  so  freely  extended  here,  are  con- 
tinued ?  May  we  hope  that  some  who  are  incorrigi- 
ble in  their  wickedness  this  side  the  grave,  will  re- 
pent in  that  interval  which  occurs  between  death 
and  the  judgment  ? 

It  is  commonly  believed  by  second  probationists 
that  there  will  be  no  second  probation  for  deliberate 
and  continued  rejectors  of  the  gospel  here.  But 
those  who  have  not  had  the  motives  of  the  gospel 
presented  to  them  during  life,  such  as  young  children, 
feeble-minded  idiots,  and  many  of  the  heathen,  wmII 
have  them  presented  to  them,  and  have  the  oppor- 
tunity of  repentance  and  salvation,  before  the  final 
judgment.  This  is  the  form  of  the  heretical  ques- 
tion, now  greatly  exciting  public  attention  and  dis- 
cussion. 

9* 


102  RETRIBUTION. 

But  what  is  meant  by  the  separate  or  intermediate 
state?  The  state  in  which  the  soulhas  a  conscious 
existence  between  the  death  and  resurrection  of  the 
body.  But  where  is  the  soul  after  separation  from 
the  body  at  death,  previous  to  the  resurrection  and  the 
general  judgment  ?  Does  it  go  immediately  at  death 
to  its  eternal  destination  ?  From  the  aspirations  of 
the  apostle  Paul  it  would  seem  that  he  expected 
nothing  short  of  perfect  happiness  immediately  upon 
leaving  the  world.  We  are  confident,  I  say,  and  will- 
ing, rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  be  present 
with  the  Lord.  I  am  in  a  straight  betwixt  two,  hav- 
ing  a  desire  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ  which  is 
far  better.  Hence,  we  conclude  that  all  true  Chris- 
tians immediately  at  death  enter  into  more  intimate 
communion  with  Christ,  and  they  wait  for  the  glorious 
resurrection  of  the  body,  and  for  the  consummation  of 
the  kingdom  of  God.  For  our  Saviour  said  to  the 
penitent  thief  on  the  cross,  "  To-day  shalt  thou  be 
with  me  in  paradise." 

But  what  will  become  of  the  wicked,  immediately 
after  death?  ''The  wicked  is  driven  away  in  his 
wickedness,  but  the  righteous  hath  hope  in  his  death." 
*^  The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell,  and  all  the  na- 
tions that  forget  God."  Hence  we  conclude  that  all 
mankind  will  exist  in  the  life  to  come,  in  a  conscious 
active  and  happy,  or  unhappy,  state,  as  they  shall  be 
holy  or  unholy  when  they  depart  the  present  life. 
They  pass  immediately  iato  this  condition  of  exist- 
ence at  death.  ''  The  soul  will  immediately  pass  into 
a  state  of  happiness,  or  misery,  and  the  body  shall 
dissolve  to  dust,  whence  it  was  taken." 


RETRIBUTION.  103 

The  soul  does  not  become  lifeless  with  the  body, 
nor  does  it  sleep  or  lie  dormant  after  the  death  of  the 
body,  till  the  general  resurrection  ;  but  it  is  sensible 
and  active.  For  "  it  came  to  pass  that  the  beggar 
died,  and  was  carried  by  angels  into  Abraham's 
bosom ;  the  rich  man  also  died,  and  was  buried;  and 
in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torment,  and 
seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom. 
But  Abraham  said,  ^  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy 
life  time  received  the  good  things,  and  likewise  Lazarus 
evil  things  ;  but  now  he  is  comforted  and  thou  art 
tormented.'  " 

But  in  all  these  inspired  instructions  concerning 
death  and  the  intermediate  state,  there  is  not  the 
faintest  reference  to  any  classes  of  persons,  who 
are  in  a  state  of  second  probation.  But  we  do  read, 
"  He  that  is  unrighteous,  let  him  do  unrighteousness 
still ;  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  made  filthy 
still;  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  do  righteous- 
ness still ;  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  made  holy 
still.  Behold,  I  come  quickly  ;  and  my  reward  is 
with  me,  to  render  to  each  man  according  as  his 
work  is." 

But  it  may  be  asked  where  are  the  myriads  of 
young  children,  who  die  before  they  attain  a  period 
or  age  of  responsibility  ?  "  The  disciples  came  to 
Jesus  saying,  '  Who  is  the  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven?'  And  Jesus  called  a  little  child  unto  Him, 
and  set  him  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  said:  '  Verily, 
I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  be  converted,  and  be- 
come as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the 
kingdom    of    heaven.'      Whosoever,   therefore,  shall 


104  RETRIBUTION. 

humble  himself  as  this  little  child,  the  same  is  great- 
est in  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  And  may  not  enfee- 
bled idiots,  who  have  no  more  development  or  re- 
sponsibility than  young  children,  be  reckoned  in  the 
same  category  in  the  future  world  ?  For  "  to  whom- 
soever much  is  given,  of  him  shall  much  be  required." 
And  of  course  to  whom  little  is  given,  little  will  be 
required. 

(extract. —  MEN  IGNORANT  OF  THE  GOSPEL.) 

But  is  it  reasonable  to  punish  men  who  have 
never  heard  of  the  gospel  ?  They  are  punished  not 
for  distinctively  rejecting  the  gospel,  but  for  distinct- 
ively rejecting  the  law.  God  has  given  His  law  to 
them  as  really  as  to  us.  He  has  threatened  them 
with  its  penalty  as  really  as  He  has  threatened  us. 
They  ''  are  without  excuse,"  for  on  their  consciences, 
as  on  tables  of  living  stone,  Grod  has  inscribed  His 
commandment.  Of  the  written  law,  the  objector 
says:  '' As  many  as  have  sinned  without  law,  will 
have  a  probation  after  death."  Of  the  same  law^  the 
apostle  says:  "  As  many  as  have  sinned  without  law, 
shall  also  perish  without  law." — Romans  i :  12-16. 
Our  compassionate  Redeemer  has  taught  us  that  if 
we,  with  our  larger  knowledge,  disobey  His  com- 
mands, we  shall  be  punished  with  many  stripes,  and 
if  other  men,  with  their  smaller  knowledge  disobey 
these  commands,  they  will  be  punished  with  few 
stripes.  But  they  ivill  be  punished.  If  they  do  not 
deserve  to  be  punished,  then  they  have  not  sinned.  If 
they  have  sinned  then  they  deserve  to  be  punished. 
If  they  have  committed  ten  degrees  of  wrong,  they 
will  endure  ten  deerrees   of  remorse.     If  thev    have 


RETRIBUTION*  105 

committed  only  one  degree  of  wrong,  tliey  will  en- 
dure only  one  degree  of  remorse.  But,  ten  degrees 
or  one  degree  of  remorse,  it  cannot  be  avoided  uidess 
the  wrong  be  forgiven.  According  to  the  mere 
constitution  of  the  soul,  it  can  never  end  unless  con- 
science loses  its  normal  power. 

It  were  singular,  indeed,  if  men  were  to  be  freed 
from  penal  remorse  on  account  of  their  ignorance, 
when  their  ignorance  implies  the  sin;  when  having 
eyes  they  see  not,  because  they  will  not  see  ;  when 
knowing  certain  parts  of  the  truth,  they  hold  back 
other  parts  of  it,  because  they  choose  not  to  think  of 
it !  It  were  singular,  indeed,  if  the  heathen  were  to 
be  freed  from  penal  remorse  because  Christians  have 
disobeyed  their  Lord's  command  to  go  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  !  Sin- 
gular, if  the  refusal  of  Christians  to  evangelize  the 
world  should  be  turned  into  a  bounty  upon  the 
heathen,  and  release  them  from  the  claims  of  the  law 
as  it  is  written  on  the  most  authoritative  part  of  their 
constitution. 

But  it  is  said  that  our  Lord,  immediately  after  His 
resurrection,  preached  to  the  spirits  in  prison  ;  and 
by  implication  it  may  be  said  that  sinners  may  be 
preached  to  after  death.  I  reply  that  there  is  no 
clear  evidence  that  Christ  ever  preached  to  sinners  in 
the  future  state.  And  we  have  never  yet  learned 
that  any  have  been  converted  after  death  by  the 
preaching  of  our  Lord.  But  for  the  sake  of  the  ar- 
gument, let  us  admit  that  while  Christ's  body  was 
resting  in  Joseph'^  new  tomb,  his  soul  went  to  some 
place  where  were  confined  in  prison  certain  departed 


106  RETRIBUTION. 

spirits,  who  aforetime  were  disobedient  in  the  days 
of  Noah,  and  preached  to  them.  If  our  Lord  did 
preach  to  the  spirits  in  prison  after  death,  He  ob- 
viously preached  to  them  the  same  gospel  He  did  on 
earth.  He  then  told  sinners  if  they  should  be  cast  in 
prison,  they  should  not  come  out  thence  till  they  had 
paid  the  utmost  farthing.  If  He  went  down  to  hell  to 
preach  to  the  lost  spirits  there.  He  doubtless  told 
them,  '  You  must  remain  here  until  you  have  suffered 
all  that  your  sins  deserve.'  What  influence  then 
would  His  preaching  have  toward  releasing  them 
from  the  place  of  torment?  It  must  still  remain 
true:  (1)  that  there  is  no  evidence  that  He  preached 
to  any  other  departed  spirits  than  the  comparatively 
few  herein  specified  ;  (2)  that  it  is  inexplicable  why 
those  few  should  have  been  singled  out  for  such  a 
mission,  who  were  certainly  among  the  most  wicked 
of  men,  and  would  appear  to  have  had,  through  Noah 
and  his  influence,  a  much  fairer  "  chance  "  than  mil- 
lions of  others,  presumably  then  in  Hades,  who  had 
lived  and  died  in  an  altogether  unillumined  darkness  of 
paganism  ;  (3)  that  there  is  no  evidence  that  Christ's 
preaching  to  these  people  on  this  occasion  did  them 
any  good  ;  (4)  that  there  is  no  probability  that  such 
preaching  ever  was,  or  can  be  repeated  ;  but  many 
circumstances  to  imply  that,  as  the  incidents  of  this 
obscure  scene  can  never  recur,  so  this  account  of 
them  can  reasonably  afford  neither  proof,  precedent 
nor  even  trusty  remote  suggestion  of  any  purpose  of 
God,  or  any  law  of  His  government  by  which  proba- 
tion after  death  becomes  a  likelihood  for  any  who 
leave  this  world  in  impenitence. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

CHRIST  AND  ETERNAL  PUNISHMENT. 
(extract.) 

A  sincere  inquirer  for  truth,  however  he  may  be 
perplexed  by  the  doctrine  of  eternal  punishment,  is 
compelled  to  accept  it,  because  it  is  so  plainly  taught 
and  so  often  urged  by  the  Saviour  himself. 

Christ,  in  these  declarations  of  eternal  punishment, 
never  betrays  one  symptom  of  doubt  or  delicacy,  as 
if  there  might  be  some  injustice  or  over=severity  in 
them,  such  as  needs  to  be  carefully  qualified.  He 
plainly  enough  has  no  such  struggles  of  mind  on  the 
subject  as  we  have.  His  most  delicate,  tenderly  sensi- 
tive humanity  gives  no  single  token  of  being  either  of- 
fended or  tried  by  the  fact  of  so  great  severities.  It 
cannot  be  that  He  is  untroubled  by  questions  on  this 
subject  because  He  is  less  tender  of  man's  lot  or  of 
God's  honor  than  we  are,  or  because  He  is  not  far 
enough  on  in  the  world's  progress  to  have  had  our 
great  theologic  problems  occur  to  Him. 

Perhaps  we  shall  not  be  able  to  solve  this  strangely 


108  retributio:n". 

unquestioning  manner  of  His,  but  I  strongly  suspect 
that  the  secret  of  it  lies  in  the  fact  that  He  has  a  way 
of  conceiving  the  matter  and  manner  of  eternal  pun- 
ishment, such  as  leaves  our  modern  questions  out  of 
sjo-ht  and  does  not  even  allow  them  to  occur.     Per- 

a 

haps  He  only  thinks  of  the  bad  man  going  on  to 
eternity  in  his  badness,  and  the  laws  of  retribution  as 
going  along  with  him  to  keep  his  voluntary  bad  deeds 
company,  much  as  they  do  here ;  regarding  the  male- 
factor as  a  malefactor  still,  and  suffering,  at  any  given 
moment,  for  being  just  what  he  is  at  that  moment — 
that,  and  nothing  more.  God  has,  in  fact,  put  noth- 
ing of  his  pain  upon  him;  he  only  takes  it  on  him- 
self; and  there  is  really  no  more  reason  to  be  troubled 
about  the  severity  of  his  lot,  than  there  is  here,  in  the 
retributions  of  this  life. 

He  uses,  it  must  be  admitted,  the  most  appalling 
figures — "outer  darkness,''  ^-great  gulf  fixed,"  ^'thirst," 
''torment,"  "wailing,"  "weeping,'^  "a  worm  that  dieth 
not,"  "a  fire  that  is  not  quenched,'' — but  He  has  no 
misgiving;  probably  because  words  of  any  kind  are 
so  impotent  in  giving  the  due  impression  of  any  state 
unrealized,  and  need  to  be  even  violently  overdrawn 
to  answer  their  object.  However  this  may  be,  it  is 
quite  evident  that  the  tough  questions  of  our  modern 
philanthropism  have  either  not  arrived,  or  are  quite 
gone  by,  and  that,  notwithstanding  His  intense  love 
for  mankind.  His  feehng  still  goes  with  the  primitive 
order  of  God's  retribution,  adding  even  heavier  em. 
phasis  from  His  own  personal  indignations. 

What  was  the  attitude  of  Jesus  Christ  toward  the 
questions  of   possible  future    probation  after   death, 


RETRIBUTION.  109 

and  of  remediless  and  everlasting  torment  of  all  those 
in  every  time  and  place,  who  die  impenitent? 

In  answer,  I  beg  leave  to  suggest,  in  their  most 
condensed  form,  the  following  considerations,  viz: 

First.  At  His  advent  Christ  found  the  great  mass 
of  the  Jewish  nation  actual  believers  in  the  future 
eternal  punishment  of  those  who  die  in  sin.  This  is 
made  clear  from  the  statement  of  Josephus.  And 
there  is  no  doubt  that  the  Pharisees  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament times  believed  in  eternal  damnation. 

Second.     Christ  must  have  known  that  this  faith 
on  this  subject  was  thus  pre-existent  in  the  minds  of 
those  whom  He  came  to  lead  in  the  way  of  life ;  and- 
must  have  realized  that  for  Him   to  say  nothing  in 
contradiction  thereof  would  be  to  seal  to  their  con- 
victions its  truth  by  the  large  consent  of  His  silence. 
Yea,  further,  that  for  Him  to  refer  to  that  subject  in 
any  historic  or  casual  way  without  condemning  such 
faith,  would  be  to  give  it  still  more  confirmation  of 
His  manifested  consideration  issuing  in  the  natural 
seeming  of  approval.     Such   being  the    facts,  it  be- 
comes necessary  further  to  decide  that  whenever  He 
uttered  Himself  upon  the  circle  of  related  truths,  Hia 
language  must  necessarily  take  on  the  force  of  the 
fullest  endorsement  of  the  doctrine  substantially  as 
the  Jews  held  it,  unless  it  were  distinctly  in   opposi- 
tion thereto ;  because,  under  the   circumstances,   His 
intent  must  be  presumed  to  have  been  to  indorse, 
unless  He  did  in  terms  oppose. 

Third.     Now,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  Christ  is  never 
recorded  to  have  uttered  one  word  of  remonstrance 
with  the  Jews  for  their  belief  in  the  future  eternal 
10 


no  EETRIBUTION. 

punishment  of  tliose  who  die  in  their  sins.  We  can- 
not doubt  that  His  soh'citude  for  the  glory  of  God 
must  at  least  have  equaled  that  of  those  who  are  in 
our  day  most  anxious  to  relieve  the  divine  character 
of  what  seems  to  them  the  deep  dishonor  involved  in 
the  ancient  doctrine  under  discussion ;  yet  He  un- 
dertook no  explanation  ;  least  of  all  did  He  anywhere 
say  or  hint,  "Ye  do  greatly  err  in  supposing  that  My 
Father  can  do  such  things." 

Fourth.  Christ  never  said  anything  which,  when 
fairly  interpreted  by  its  obvious  connection  and  clear 
intent,  even  seems  to  look  in  the  direction  of  denying 
the  opinion  on  this  subject  then  commonly  received 
in  Palestine.  At  least  I  have  searched  for  such  ut- 
terances from  His  lips  in  vain.  And,  on  this  point,  I 
ask  leave  to  fortify  myself  by  the  avowal  of  that  ven- 
erable, industrious  and  illustrious  exegete,  Professor 
Stuart,  who  says : 

"  Why  have  those  holy  teachers,  Christ  and  His 
apostles,  failed  to  make  explicit  declarations,  which 
admit  of  no  doubt  and  no  misinterpretation  in  regard 
to  this  matter?  If  I  should  be  told,  as  I  may  be  by 
some,  that  they  have  made  such  declarations,  my  an- 
swer is,  that  after  making  the  Scriptures  the  principal 
object  of  my  study  through  most  of  my  life,  I  have 
Dot  been  able  to  find  them.  I  have  sought  for  them 
with  great  solicitude ;  in  one  sense  I  can  say  truly, 

that  I  have  hoped  to  find  them I  cannot 

find  in  the  Scriptures  a  disavowal  of  the  usual  belief 
of  the  primitive  age  as  to  endless  punishment;  nor 
can  I  find  where  an  opinion  contrary  to  this  is  taught, 
or  even  suggested,  in  the  Bible." 


RETRIBUTION.  Ill 

The  Bible  plainly  teaches:  (1)  There  is  a  sin 
which  cannot  be  forgiven,  so  that  all  who  are  guilty 
of  it  must  be  hopelessly  and  forever  lost.  (2) 
Death  concludes  the  opportunity  of  human  penitence. 
(3)  At  the  end  of  the  world  the  wicked  are  to  be  pun- 
ished, and  the  righteous  rewarded.  (4)  The  dead 
are  to  be  raised — the  good  to  life,  the  bad  to  condem- 
nation. (5)  There  is  to  be  a  day  of  final  reckoning, 
when  the  Son  of  Man  will  judge  the  world;  whose 
awards  will  send  the  wicked  away  into  punishment, 
and  the  righteous  into  life.  (6)  This  future  punish- 
ment of  the  wicked,  equall}^  with  the  future  life  of  the 
righteous,  w^ill  be  without  end. 

The  punishment  of  the  impenitent  dead  must  be 
endless,  because  the  scriptural  terms  which  allude  to 
it  denote  absolute  eternity. 

Says  Dr.  N.  Adams:  "There  is,  we  all  admit, 
such  a  thing  as  forever.  If  the  Bible  speaks  of  the 
natural  attributes  of  God,  His  eternity  is  of  course 
brought  to  view,  and  there  must  be  a  term,  or  terms, 
to  convey  the  idea.  Now  it  is  apparent  to  all,  that 
the  words  eternal,  everlasting,  forever,  never  of 
themselves  signify  a  limited  duration.  No  one  ever 
learns  from  these  words  that  the  duration  to  which 
they  refer  is  less  than  infinite.  The  iJea  of  limita- 
tion, if  it  be  obtained,  is  always  derived  from  the  con- 
text. It  is,  moreover,  true  beyond  the  possibility  of 
dispute,  that  the  words  eternal,  everlasting  and  for- 
ever, always  mean  the  whole  of  something.  There 
is  no  instance  in  which  they  are  used  to  denote  a  part 
of  a  things  duration.  It  is  always  the  entire  period 
for  which  that  thing  is  to  last.     This,  no  one  will  call 


112  RETRIBUTION. 

in  question.  It  is  well  understood  that  the  words 
forever  and  everlasting  are  used  to  express  a  duration 
commensurate  with  the  nature  of  the  thing  spoken  of. 
Everlasting  mountains  are  coeval  with  creation,  and 
are  to  endure  as  long  as  the  earth.  A  servant  for- 
ever, is  a  servant  for  life.  We  cannot  take  the  sense 
which  the  word  has  in  connection  with  a  certain 
thing,  and  by  it  prove  or  disprove  anything  relating 
to  a  totally  different  thing.  We  cannot  prove,  for 
example,  that  mountains  will  not  last  to  the  end  of 
time,  because  forever  applied  to  a  servant  means 
only  for  life.  We  must  consider  the  nature  of  the 
object  to  which  the  word  is  applied.  When  it  is  ap- 
plied to  the  Most  High,  of  course  it  means  unlimited 
duration.  Now  the  words  which  convey  the  idea  of 
absolute  eternity,  are  applied  for  example  to  moun- 
tains, to  future  punishment,  and  to  the  Being  and 
government  of  God.  This,  then,  is  certain  :  Because 
forever,  when  applied  to  some  things,  does  not  mean 
absolute  eternity,  it  does  not  follow  that  it  does  not 
mean  eternity  when  applied  to  future  retribution.  If 
it  were  so,  we  could  not  convey  the  idea  of  the  eter- 
nity of  God — for  it  could  be  said  that  forever  in 
sometimes  applied  to  a  limited  duration.  This  is 
true.  Now,  if  this  proves  that  future  punishment  is 
not  forever,  it  must  also  prove  that  the  Being  of  God 
is  not  forever.  Two  things  are  be3'ond  dispute : 
First,  Forever  and  everlasting  are  applied  to  future 
retributions.  Second,  These  terms  always  mean  the 
whole,  as  to  duration,  of  that  with  which  they  stand 
connected.  If  applied  to  life,  it  is  the  whole  of  life  ; 
if  to  the  existence  of  the  world,  it  is  the  entire  period 


RETRIBUTION.  113 

of  its  existence;  if  to  a  covenant,  the  covenant  is 
either  without  limit  as  to  time,  or  it  is  the  whole  of 
the  duration  which  the  subject  permits;  and  when 
applied  to  Jehovah,  it  refers  to  His  whole  eternity. 
What  then  does  it  mean  when  applied  to  future  retri- 
bution ;  it  always  means  the  whole  of  something? 
Is  it  the  whole  of  future  existence?  No  one  can 
base  a  denial  of  it  on  the  ground  that  the  word  when 
applied  to  human  life  mean  only  a  few  years,  or  a 
limited  duration  when  applied  to  the  earth.  For 
how  is  it  when  applied  to  God,  and  the  happiness  of 
heaven?  It  is  certainly  the  place  of  any  who  deny 
endless  retribution,  to  show  that  the  words  cannot 
mean  the  whole  of  future  existence  when  applied  by 
the  use  of  the  same  Greek  words  in  the  same  pass- 
ages, to  the  happiness  of  the  righteous.  The  ob- 
jector must  show  that  when  applied  to  the  future  life 
they  mean  only  a  part,  notwithstanding  they  always 
mean  the  whole  of  every  thing  else  with  w^hich  they 
stand  connected." 

And  hence  we  ifind  that  those  who  deny  that  the 
words  eternal  and  everlasting  mean  endless,  when  ap- 
plied to  the  duration  of  the  misery  of  the  wicked  be- 
yond the  grave  to  be  consistent,  maintain  that  the 
natural  force  of  these  words  when  applied  to  the  du- 
ration of  God's  existence  do  not  imply  His  endless 
existence. 

So  that  in  denying  what  God  says  concerning  the 
endless  misery  of  the  wicked,  they  deny  that  what 
He  says  of  the  duration  of  His  own  existence  proves 
that  He  will  always  exist,  Alas,  what  infatuation,  if 
not  absolute  Atheism,  is  here  disclosed ! 

no 


IM  RETRIBUTION. 

Now,  with  these  well  established  principles  of  in- 
terpreting the  words  eternal  and  forever  as  denoting 
the  longest  space  of  time  possible  in  the  nature  of 
the  case,  let  us  adduce  some  Scriptural  proof  of  the 
endless  misery  of  all  who  die  in  their  sins,  impeni-  1 
tent  and  unbelieving.  We  learn  in  the  Scriptures 
that  "  God  spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned,  but 
cast  them  down  to  hell,  and  delivered  them  into 
chains  of  darkness,  to  be  reserved  unto  judgment.'^ 
And  as  ^'it  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  but 
after  this  the  judgment,"  and  "  many  of  them  that 
sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to 
everlasting  life  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting 
contempt,"  ''  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  His 
voice,  and  shall  come  forth;  they  that  have  done 
good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life  ;  and  they  that 
have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation." 

So  that  it  plainly  appears  that  those  who  die  with- 
out true  repentance  must  come  forth  in  the  resurrec- 
tion, and  be  condemned  to  punishment  at  the  day  of 
judgment.  "  Then  shall  our  Lord  say  to  those  on 
His  left  hand,  '  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  ever- 
lasting fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels/ 
And  these  shall  go  away  into  eternal  punishment; 
but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal."  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life;  and  he  that 
believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath 
of  God  abideth  on  him." 

Now  who  can  doubt  that  the  Bible  teaches  the 
endless  misery  of  the  v^^icked  after  death,  and  that 
"  they  shall  be  tormented,  day  and  night,  forever  and 
ever?'' 


RETRIBUTION.  115 

Rev.  Albert  Barnes  thus  shows  the  difficulty  of 
being  a  Universalist  and  a  Bible  believer  at  the  same 
time  :  "  I  could  not  embrace  Universalism,  with  my 
views  of  the  proper  rules  of  interpreting  language, 
without  giving  up  the  Bible  altogether.  The  Bible 
does  not  teach  the  salvation  of  all  men.  It  can 
never  be  made  to  teach  that  doctrine  by  a  proper  in- 
terpretation of  language.  If  the  Bible  teaches  any- 
thing clearly;  if  words  have  any  meaning;  if  there 
are  any  proper  rules  of  interpreting  language,  the 
Bible  teaches  the  doctrine  of  the  eternal  punishment 
of  the  wicked,  and  it  cannot  be  made  to  teach  other- 
wise. 1  hold  just  what  the  mass  of  men  have  held  ; 
what  ninety-nine  men  out  of  every  hundred  have 
held  ;  what  all  men — Christians  and  infidels — except 
the  small  class  who  call  themselves  Universalists, 
have  held,  hat  the  Bible  teaches  that  the  wicked 
will  be  punished  forever  in  the  future  world.  If  I 
were,  therefore,  to  reject  the  doctrine  of  the  future 
punishment  of  the  wicked,  I  should  not  be  a  Univer- 
salist, trying  to  hold  on  to  the  Bible.  I  should  become 
at  once  an  honest  infidel,  and  would  reject  the  Bible 
altogether.  The  infidel  is  the  only  consistent  man. 
I  think  in  the  view  which  I  take  of  the  fair  interpre- 
tation of  the  Bible,  that  I  see  the  reason  why  there 
are  so  few  avowed  Universalists,  as  compared  with 
the  actual  number  of  infidels  in  our  country,  and  why 
it  is  so  diiiicalt  to  keep  up  the  system  of  Universalism 
as  an  organization.  The  number  of  persons  in  any 
community  who  can  be  made  to  believe  that  the 
Bible  inculcates  the  doctrine  of  universal  salvation 
must  always  be  small ;  the  number  of  those  who,  for 


116  RETRIBUTION. 

various  causes,  reject  it  altogether,  may  be  and  prob- 
ably will  be  much  larger.  Of  the  two  I  would  be 
one  of  the  latter,  and  so  the  mass  of  men  do  judge, 
and  always  will  judge." 


i 


CHAPTER  XX. 

UNREASONABLENESS  OF  UNIVERSAL  RESTORATION 

BY  CHASTISEMENT  AND  DISCIPLINARY 

EDUCATION. 

In  the  first  place,  I  now  propose  to  show  that  the 
proper  administration  of  God's  positive  moral  gov- 
ernment,over  free  moral  agents,  demands  that  eter- 
nal punishment  should  be  the  appropriate  reward  of  a 
sinful  life,  in  addition  to  the  mere  natural  conse- 
quences of  sin  in  the  present  world.  I  repeat  the 
proposition,  for  its  establishment  seems  to  me  adapt- 
ed to  refute  the  theory  of  mere  natural  consequences, 
the  religion  of  Deism,  and  of  two  of  the  most  popular 
heretical  sects  which  have  flourished  especially  in  the 
vicinity  of  Boston,  during  the  last  half  century.  By 
natural  consequences  is  meant,  that  when  a  man  vio- 
lates natural  law,  in  thrusting  his  finger  into  a  candle 
blaze,  it  burns,  but  ceases  soon  after  it  is  withdrawn. 
And  when  a  man  violates  God's  moral  law,  he  suffers 
the  stings  of  conscience,  which  is  all  the  punishment 
that  the  greatest  sins  deserve,  or  will  receive.  Our 
Creator  has  implanted  within  all  the  subjects  of  His 


118  RETRIBUTION. 

moral  government  a  moral  constitution,  by  which  we 
are  made  to  discern  the  difference  between  right  and 
wrong — by  which  we  are  made  to  recognize  His 
moral  law,  and  feel  ourselves  under  the  necessity  of 
obeying  or  disobeying  it. 

And  this  conscience  operating  as  God's  vicegerent 
in  the  soul,  in  the  performance  of  its  disciplinary 
work,  naturally  imparts  to  us  complacent  satisfaction 
for  well  doing,  and  recriminates  and  censures  us  for 
violating  what  it  dictates  as  right  or  as  pleasing  to 
God. 

As  the  natural  results  of  an  honest  and  strenuous 
endeavor  to  glorify  God,  in  obeying  the  moral  law, 
in  suppressing  our  unlawful  propensities  and  selfish 
tendencies,  we  enjo}^  inward  harmony  and  peace  and 
are  cheered  by  the  consciousness  of  our  heavenly 
Father's  approval,  while  the  natural  results  of  wreck- 
less  disobedience  to  divine  requirements,  in  yielding 
to  the  control  of  pernicious  and  debasing  practices, 
are  self-reproach  and  a  consciousness  of  justly  de- 
serving the  wrath  of  our  offended  Lord.  But  neither 
of  these  species  of  happiness  or  unhappiness,  as  the 
natural  consequences  of  virtue  and  vice  in  the  pres- 
ent life,  I  apprehend,  can  strictly  be  denominated  re- 
wards and  penalties,  for  the  chief  reason  for  their 
employment  seems  to  be  the  corrective  guide  or  dis- 
cipline of  the  individuals  who  experience  them. 
Thus  the  natural  effects  of  the  approval  and  remon- 
strances of  conscience,  seem  to  bo  chiefly  designed 
for  personal  guards  against  sin,  and  allurements  to 
holiness. 

The  remonstrances  of  conscience  are  merely  the 


RETRIBUTION.  119 

prickly  thorns  which  project  from  the  walls  that  are 
erected  as  hedges  to  guide  tiie  traveler  in  the  way  of 
duty — in  the  straight  and  narrow  path  toward  heaven. 
These  natural  disciplinary  chastisements  are  designed 
mainly  to  reclaim  transgressors,  while  it  is  not  the  ob- 
ject of  positive  penal  sanctions  to  secure^reformation. 

But  as  these  incidental  benefits  of  obedience,  and 
evils  of  disobedience  in  this  life,  do  not  seem  in  the 
strictest  sense  to  be  of  the  nature  of.  rewards  and 
penalties — not  meeting  our  sense  ot  the  intrinsic  de- 
mands of  either  retributive  or  public  justice — we  in- 
fer that  they  are  wholly  insufficient,  and  that  God 
must  exercise  a  positive  moral  government  over  tree 
moral  agents,  which  shall  lead  Him  to  award  as  a 
gift  of  His  grace,  eternal  life  to  His  friends,  and  in- 
flict as  just  desert,  eternal  death  upon  His  enemies. 
For  no  well  regulated  community  feels  satisfied  ihat 
its  most  virtuous  citizens  are  sufficiently  rewarded 
for  all  their  personal  sacrifices  in  doing  good,  by 
merely  an  approving  conscience,  or  that  the  most 
guilty  are  sufficiently  punished  by  its  reproaches. 
The  community  feel  that  the  benefactors  of  the 
race,  such  as  Washington  and  Lafayette,  det^erve 
from  them  some  positive  reward,  and  the  scourges 
and  criminals,  such  as  Robespierre  and  Napoleon,  de- 
serve some  positive  punishment.  The  mass  of  men 
feel  that  devoted  Christians  must  enjoy  heaven  here- 
after, and  the  wicked  must  be  consigned  to  hejl. 

But  if  we  are  satisfied  that  natural  consequences 
are  insufficient  appendages  to  the  moral  law,  and 
God  must  administer  a  positive  moral  government 
over  men,  let  us  inquire  into  its  nature  and  sanctions. 


120  RETRIBUTIO:^". 

God'3  positive  moral  government  is  the  rightful 
authority,  which  He  exercises  over  moral  beings 
through  the  medium  of  His  moral  law.  And  this 
law  must  be  the  preceptive  rule  of  action,  for 
the  guidance  of  moral  agents,  and  it  must  have  ade- 
quate sanctions  to  induce  them  to  obey  it.  But  it  is 
not  necessary  to  the  perfection  of  moral  government 
that  it  should  actually  secure  unfaltering  obedience. 
It  is  only  necessary  that  it  should  have  the  most  ef- 
fective sanctions  or  motives,  in  the  form  of  rewards 
and  penalties  for  securing  obedience,  while  men  are 
left  free  and  responsible  in  obeying  or  disobeying  the 
law.  But  if  this  law  were  attended  merely  by 
natural  consequences  it  would  be  selfexecutive, 
though  God  should  cease  to  reign.  If  its  violation 
incurs  no  positive  governmental  inflictions,  it  would 
degenerate  into  mere  preceptive  advice,  and  cease 
to  be  positive  law.  It  would  be  a  system  of  natural 
instead  of  revealed  religion.  But  if  every  transgres- 
sion and  disobedience  shall  receive  a  just  recompense 
of  reward,  the  sanctions  of  the  law  must  be  executed 
by  the  Moral  Governor  himself. 

Hence,  the  very  idea  of  moral  government  implies 
that  the  law  is  not  self-executive,  without  adequate 
penal  sanctions,  but  in  its  very  nature  active  and  pos- 
itive, demanding  the  constant  enforcement  of  the  au- 
thoritative Law- Giver.  Therefore,  if  God  does  not 
administer  a  moral  government,  with  adequate  sanc- 
tions. He  may  have  on  the  theor}^  of  natural  conse- 
quences natural  laws ;  but  He  can  have  no  moral 
laws  and  no  free  moral  agents  under  His  direct  con- 
trol.    And  yet  we  know  from  the  perfection  of   our 


RETRIBUTION.  121 

« 

Creator's  attributes,  and  from  our  own  moral  nature, 
that  lie  is  a  perfect  moral  governor,  with  a  perfect 
moral  law,  and  with  responsible  subjects  under  His 
government  whom  He  controls  by  appropriate  sanc- 
tions. Now  these  adequate  sanctions  of  His  law  are 
motives,  rewards  promised  to  obedience  to  its  pre- 
cepts, and  penalties  threatened  against  disobedience. 
And  if  God  is  a  perfect  moral  governor,  He  must  show 
by  the  extent  and  duration  of  these  sanctions,  that 
He  regards  obedience  wnth  supreme  approval  and 
disobedience  with  the  greatest  possible  aversion. 

But  how  can  He  manifest  His  supreme  hatred  to 
sin,  as  the  worst  thing  in  the  universe,  if  He  does 
not  threaten  the  sinner  with  eternal  punishment?  If 
He  does  not  inflict  upon  the  transgressor  eternal 
death  as  the  appropriate  penalty  of  a  sinful  life.  He 
must  weaken  His  authority  and  show  that  He  regards 
the  violation  of  His  law  as  a  less  evil  than  the  inflic- 
tion of  its  penalty.  In  order  to  prevent  to  the  ut- 
most possible  extent  every  transgression  of  His  per- 
fect law,  the  penalty  must  be  as  apalling  as  justice 
and  the  nature  of  the  case  will  possibly  admit,  while 
it  does  not  transcend  in  severity  the  intrinsic  ill 
desert  of  each  transgressor.  In  a  perfect  moral  gov- 
ernment distributive  justice  must  be  the  standard 
by  which  the  most  terrific  penalties  of  the  law 
are  awarded.  The  penalty  upon  each  transgressor, 
being  graduated  by  his  intrinsic  guilt,  is  as  great  as 
possible,  and  as  the  sinner  is  finite  in  his  susceptibil- 
ity of  suffering,  his  punishment  is  as  appalling  as  jus- 
tice and  the  nature  of  the  case  will  possibly  admit, 
while  it  is  finite  in  degree  and  endless  in  duration. 
11 


122  RETRIBUTION. 

And  while  retributive  justice  both  admits  and  de- 
mands this  penalty,  public  justice — which  is  designed 
to  secure  the  highest  public  good  by  securing  the 
greatest  amount  and  most  perfect  obedience  to  the 
divine  law — insists  that  the  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall 
die.  And  as  every  sin  is  against  an  infinite  God,  and 
a  violation  of  a  perfect  law,  it  must  involve  infinite 
guilt  in  the  sense  of  deserving  eternal  punishment. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

THE  CONSISTENCY  OF    ETERNAL  PUNISHMENT 
WITH  GOD'S  BENEVOLENCE  AND  GOODNESS.       . 

(extract.) 

All  must  admit  that  God  manifests  His  love  in 
creating  men,  and  in  giving  them  a  perfectly  good 
law  which  requires  them  to  love  Him  with  all  their 
heart  and  one  another  as  they  love  themselves.  Is 
He  not  good,  then,  in  offering  the  most  glorious  re- 
wards to  secure  obedience,  and  in  threatening  trans- 
gressors with  the  most  dreadful  and  deserved  punish- 
ments ?  For  certainly  if  He  was  good  in  making 
them  rational  and  accountable  creatures,  and  in  giv- 
ing them  the  best  of  laws,  He  must  be  equally  good 
in  maintaining  obedience  by  the  most  effective  mo- 
tives. How  long  could  His  government  stand,  or 
His  authority  be  received  without  them  ?  Is  not  a 
human  government  just  as  benevolent  and  good  in 
inflicting  the  death  penalty  upon  the  murderer  as 
in  rewarding  her  most  faithful  public  servants  with 
honor  and  emoluments  of  oflSce?  And,  furthermore, 
does  not  God  manifest  His  love  in  giving  His  only 


124  RETRIBUTION. 

begotten    Son,    that    whosoever    believeth    in    Him 
should  not  perish  but  have  everlasting  life  ? 

"  No  argument,"  says  Dr.  Hawes,  "  is  more  fre- 
quently urged  by  Universalists,  or  relied  upon 
with  greater  confidence,  than  that  derived  from 
the  goodness  of  God.  They  assert  that  the  doc- 
trine of  future  punishment  is  totally  inconsistent 
with  this  attribute  of  the  Deity.  It  is  admitted 
on  all  hands  that  God  is  a  being  of  infinite  good- 
ness. But  what  does  this  prove?  That  no  evil 
natural  or  moral,  can  exist  under  the  government 
of  God  ;  that  all  the  subjects  of  His  empire  must  be 
holy  and  happy  ?  Look  at  facts.  Has  not  sin  existed 
on  earth  for  six  thousand  years;  and  multiplied  sor- 
row and  pain  and  death  to  an  almost  inconceivable 
extent?  Is  all  this  consistent  with  the  goodness  of 
God?  No  Universalist,  I  suppose,  will  deny  that  it 
is.  How  then  does  he  know  that  misery  in  the  future 
world  is  not  consistent  with  the  same  goodness? 
Guilty  men,  in  the  present  life,  often  endure  a  great 
amount  of  suffering;  why  then  may  they  not  endure 
the  same  in  the  life  to  come?  Is  it  said  that  tem- 
poral misery  may  be  so  overruled  as  to  promote  the 
good  of  God's  creation  on  the  whole  ?  And  why  may 
not  eternal  misery  ?  All  that  the  goodness  of  God 
demands  is,  that  he  govern  in  such  a  manner  as  will 
secure  the  greatest  amount  of  good  in  the  universe. 
That  great  temporal  sufferings  are  consistent  with 
this,  is  proved  by  facts  ;  and  who  but  God  is  compe- 
tent to  decide  that  eternal  sufferings  are  not  ? 

Is  it  said  that  such  sufferings  inflicted  as  a  punish- 
ment for  sin  are  unjust?     I  ask  again,  who  among 


RETRIBUTION.  125 

the  sons  of  men  is  qualified  to  decide  this  matter  ? 
Does  any  one  know  enough  of  God  and  His  govern- 
ment to  determine  what  laws  He  ought  to  enact,  and 
what  sanctions  append  to  them?  Can  you  see  any 
injustice  in  God's  leaving  creatures  who  have  volun- 
tarily rebelled  against  Him,  to  continue  in  sin  forever; 
and  if  they  continue  to  sin  forever,  may  not  God 
justly  punish  them  forever  ? 

With  a  view  to  disprove  the  doctrine  of  future 
punishment,  Universalists  are  very  fond  of  appealing 
to  the  sympathies  of  our  nature^  especially  to  parental 
feelings.  "  What  man,"  it  is  asked,  '^  of  common 
sensibility,  could  endure  to  see  a  fellow-man  tor- 
mented in  the  fire  or  on  the  rack,  for  one  year,  or  one 
month?  What  parent  could  take  his  own  child  and 
cast  him  into  a  glowing  oven,  or  confine  him  in  a 
gloomy  dungeon  for  life  ?  But  has  not  God  as  much 
goodness  as  man  ;  or  as  much  kindness  as  an  earthly 
parent?  How  then  can  it  be  supposed  that  he  will 
cast  any  of  His  children  into  the  lake  of  fire,  and  con- 
fine them  there  forever?"  This  is  a  very  favorite 
argument  with  Universalists,  and  one  which,  with 
young  and  unthinking  minds,  they  use  with  very 
great  effect.  But  in  reply,  it  may  be  asked  ,*  what 
parent  would  drown  his  children  in  the  water,  or  con- 
sume them  in  the  fire  ?  What  parent  would  break 
their  bones,  or  mangle  their  flesh,  or  send  upon  them 
fiickness  and  pain  and  death  ?  And  yet  God,  the 
great  Parent  of  men,  brings  all  these  things  upon 
them  in  the  course  of  His  providence.  Has  He  then 
less  kindness  and  love  than  earthly  parents  ? 
*11 


(4.)  TRUE  RELieiON. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE    NATURE   OF    TRUE    RELIGION    BENEVOLENT, 
AND  VOLUNTARY  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOD  NOT  MERE- 
LY THE  EXCITEMENT  OF  RIGHT  FEELINGS. 

The  Bible  teaches  that  true  religion  consists  in 
genuine  benevolence;  in  supreme  love  to  God,  and 
impartial  love  to  men ;  in  voluntary  obedience  to  the 
Divne  Lavi^  Giver,  "for  love  is  the  fulfillment  of  the 
lav^r ;  "  *' In  such  genuine  repentance  toward  God, 
and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  purifies 
the  heart  and  overcomes  the  temptations  of  the 
world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil."  For  Jesus,  the  Di- 
vine founder  of  the  Christian  religion,  said  :  ''Thou 
ehalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind."  This  is 
the  first  and  great  commandment,  and  the  second  is 
like  unto  it — '*  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thy- 
self."    On   these  two   commandments  hang  all   the 


TRUE  RELIGION.  127 

law  and  the  prophets.  '^  Fear  God  and  keep  His 
commandments,  for  this  is  the  whole  duty  of  man." 
"  Repent  ye,  and  believe  the  gospel."  *'  Beheve  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved." 
"For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness." 

But  with  these  divine  commands  and  instructions, 
showing  that  love — including  voluntary  obedience  to 
God's  requirements — constitute  the  nature  of  the 
Christian  religion,  a  very  common  and  dangerous 
error  seems  to  prevail  in  reference  to  this  fundamen- 
tal truth.  Very  many  persons,  if  we  understand 
them  correctly,  believe  and  maintain  that  true  re- 
ligion consists  in  the  excitement  of  the  sensibilities, 
feeling?,  emotions,  and  desires,  in  connection  with 
the  worship  of  God.  They  seem  to  believe  and 
teach  that  happy  frames  of  mind,  with  right  feelings, 
constitute  the  nature  of  the  religion  of  Christ. 
Therefore,  when  their  feelings  become  pleasantly  ex- 
cited, in  connection  with  sympathetic  and  social  re- 
ligious worship,  they  consider  themselves  very  re- 
ligious, and  that  they  really  enjoy  what  they  regard 
true  religion.  But  when  engaged  in  the  wearisome, 
and  often  vexatious,  employments  of  daily  life,  and 
the  natural  reaction  follows  from  the  previous  ex- 
citement of  their  feelings — so  that  natural  mental  de- 
pression and  sluggishness  are  experienced — they  re- 
gard themselves  in  a  back-blidden  state,  sufifering  the 
frowns  of  their  Heavenly  Father. 

This  mistake  in  believing  that  the  excitement  of 
what  they  consider  to  be  right  feelings,  is  religion,  is 
the  cause  of  the  frequent  gloom  and  despondency  of 
conscientious  persons. 


128  TRUE  RELIGION. 

^'  By  false  views  concerning  the  nature  of  true  re- 
ligion," as  a  writer  has  observed,  ''  many  real  Chris- 
tians have  been  stumbled  and  kept  in  bondage,  and 
their  comfort  and  usefulness  much  abridged  by  find- 
ing themselves  from  time  to  time  very  languid  and 
unfeeling.  Supposing  religion  to  consist  in  right 
and  exciting  feelings,  if  at  any  time  the  excitability 
of  the  sensibility  becomes  exhausted  and  their  feelings 
subside,  they  are  immediately  thrown  into  unbelief 
and  bondage.  Satan  reproaches  them  for  the  want 
of  feeling,  and  they  have  nothing  to  say  only  to  ad- 
mit the  truth  of  his  accusations.  Having  a  false  phil- 
osophy of  religion,  they  judge  of  the  state  of  their 
hearts  by  the  state  of  their  feelings.  They  confound 
their  hearts  with  their  feelings,  and  are  in  almost 
constant  perplexity  to  keep  their  hearts  right,  by 
which  they  mean  their  feelings  in  a  state  of  excite- 
ment." 

Persons  with  such  desponding  and  gloomy  ex- 
periences, as  Dr.  Payson  and  David  Brainard,  suffer 
greatly  from  their  erroneous  belief  on  this  point. 
Sometimes  they  feel  languid  and  are  conscious  of 
classes  of  emotions  which  they  falsely  call  sins. 
These  they  earnestly  resist,  and  still  blame  them- 
selves lor  having  them  in  their  hearts,  as  they  say. 
Thus  they  are  brought  again  into  bondage,  although 
they  are  certain  that  these  feelings  are  hated,  and  not 
at  all  indulged  by  them. 

Another  injurious  result  of  mistaking  mere  feel- 
ings for  true  religion,  is  found  in  the  fact  that  per* 
sons  anxiously  inquiring  the  way  of  salvation  know 
not  how    to  excite    their  feelings   so  as    to  become 


TRUE  RELIGION.  129 

Christians.  Finding  tbat  their  feelings  are  but  very 
slightly  if  at  all  under  the  control  of  the  voluntary 
powers,  they  soon  become  discouraged  in  seeking  to 
become  religious,  and  abandon  all  efforts  to  become 
Christians.  As  the  result^  the  Holy  Spirit  is  grieved 
away,  and  they  return  to  carelessness  on  the  subject 
of  religion. 

Now  the  injurious  error  of  Christians  suffering 
with  gloomy  and  morbid  experiences,  as  well  as  the 
error  of  anxious  inquirers  for  the  way  of  salvation 
under  the  special  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  may 
be  in  a  great  measure  corrected  by  considering  that 
the  divine  law  does  not  so  much  demand  right  feel- 
ing, as  right,  willing,  voluntary  love  and  obedience 
to  God.  The  Bible  appeals  directly  and  repeatedly 
to  the  voluntary  powers,  but  very  indirectly,  if  at  all, 
to  our  mere  feelings.  And  sound  intellectual  and 
moral  philosophy  supports  the  reasonableness  of  such 
appeals  and  claims  of  the  Bible. 

Although  the  human  mind  is  essentially  one  in  its 
essence  and  being,  yet  it  exists  in  three  diverse  com- 
partments :  Intellect,  Sensibility,  or  Feeling,  and  the 
Will.  The  intellect  perceives,  but  the  will  is  only  the 
main  subject  of  moral  law,  and  is  supreme  in  its  in- 
direct control  of  all  the  other  powers  of  the  mind. 
The  feelings,  in  themselves,  seem  to  have  little  or  no 
moral  character,  while  the  will  regulates  all  our  vol- 
untary actions  whether  right  or  wrong. 

Hence  the  divine  appeal  to  the  will,  "  Choose  this 
day  whom  ye  will  serve,^'  while  there  is  no  command 
"excite  your  feelings." 

According  to  the  Scriptures  all  mankind  are  by  na- 


130  TRUE  RELIGION. 

ture  children  of  wrath,  dead  in  trespasses  and   sin. 
All  their  sin  consists  in  sinning.     They  strive  volun- 
tarily to  gratify  their  naturul  propensities  in  prefer- 
ence to  pleasing  God.     Therefore  their  sin  consists 
in  their  voluntary  neglect  of  obedience  to  the  divine 
commands,  or  in  voluntary  disobedience  to  the  divine 
laws.     Hence  their  sin  cannot  consist  in  mere  feeling, 
but  in  wrong  voluntary  omission  of  the  divine  re- 
quirements, or  in  positive  voluntary  transgression  of 
God's  holy  law.     And  as  all  men  by  nature  are  prone 
to  indulge  themselves  in  absolute  and  habitual  trans- 
gression, none  can  be  saved  by  their  own  personal 
righteousness,   but  by    the  mercy    of   God,    by    the 
washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the   Holy 
Ghost.     But  in  this  radical  change,  from  seeking  to 
please  themselves  supremely,  to  voluntarily  pleasing 
God,  they  are  free  and  responsible,  while  God  makes 
them  willing  in  the  day  of  His  power.     He  commands 
sinners  to  do  their  duty  in  reference  to    this   great 
change,  and  declares  that  He  is  ever  ready  to  save 
them  by  His  grace.     The  Lord  is  not  willing  that  any 
should  perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  repentance. 
Religious  experience,  in  the  sinner's   change  from 
serving  the  world  to  the  service  of   God,  consists  of 
two  parts — the  duty  part,  that  which  the  sinner  must 
render,  which  of  course  is  a  right  state  of  the  will 
towards    God,   and   the    experience  part,   which  in- 
cludes  the  emotional  exercises,  naturally  attending 
and  flowing  from  this  state  of  the  will — and  also  any 
movement  of  thought  or  feeling,  which  comes  from 
God's  response  to  the  voluntary  surrender  of  the  soul 
to  Him.     These  statements  seem  to  be  taui^^ht  in  the 


TRUE  RELIGION.  131 

Bible.  There  God  says  :  '*  Behold,  I  stand  at  the 
door,  and  knock.  If  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and 
open  the  door,  I  will  come  into  him,  and  will  sup 
with  him  and  he  with  Me.'^ 

Thus  we  perceive  that  religious  experience  in. 
volves  the  whole  heart;  our  duty,  the  requirements 
of  religion,  is  to  hear  his  voice  and  open  the  door. 
All  the  rest  God  takes  care  of,  in  renewing  and  sanc- 
tifying, and  saving  the  sinner. 

God  says  to  all  sinners,  "  Repent,  and  turn  your- 
selves from  all  your  transgressions,  so  iniquity  shall 
not  be  your  ruin,  and  make  you  a  new  heart  and  a 
new  spirit,  for  why  will  ye  die?"  And  this  seems 
to  mean,  make  a  radical  voluntary  change  in  the  moral 
affections  and  ruling  intentions  of  the  mind  from 
sinful  gratification  to  holy  obedience  to  God.  The 
guilt  of  all  impenitent  sinners,  is  in  their  unwilling- 
ness to  love  and  serve  God.  Jesus  says  "  Ye  will 
not  come  to  me  that  ye  might  have  life."  Unwill- 
ingness is  the  single  reason  why  all  unregenerate  sin- 
ners are  not  Christians.  God  says,  '^Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  Jesua 
says,  "  Come  unto  me  and  I  will  give  you  rest.  Learn 
of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart.  I  will  put  a 
new  song  in  thy  mouth,  even  praise  unto  our  God. 
A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit 
will  I  put  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my 
statutes."  And  from  such  divine  teachings  as  these 
it  seems  to  me  very  plain  that  the  nature  of  true  re- 
ligion consists  in  benevolent  and  voluntary  obedience 
to  God,  and  not  merely  in  the  excitement  of  right 
feeling  toward  Him  and  our  fellow-men. 


CHAPTER  XXIIl. 

THE  SERVICE  OF  THE  LORD  IN  SECULAR  DUTIES. 

It  is  common,  even  among  professing  Christians,  to 
dissociate  in  their  minds,  too  widely  the  worship  of 
God,  and  strictly  religious  services,  from  the  practical 
and  ordinary  secular  duties  of  life.  Hence  they  fre- 
quently perform  their  secular  duties  without  regulat- 
ing them  by  a  religious  spirit,  in  obedience  to  the 
divine  commands. 

They  think  of  preaching,  prayer,  praise  and  exhor. 
tation,  as  specially  religious  and  pleasing  to  God; 
forgetting  that  the  benevolent  and  honest  performance 
of  all  their  secular  duties,  at  appropriate  times  and 
places,  are  also,  if  not  equally  essential,  as  fundamen- 
tal indications  of  true  and  accepted  piety  toward  God. 
For  He  has  said,  "Whether,  therefore,  ye  eat  or  drink, 
or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God."  Let 
it  be  your  ruling  motive  in  all  your  plans  and  actions, 
to  seek  supremely  the  honor  of  your  heavenly  Father, 
as  your   Creator,   Law-giver,  Redeemer  and  Judge. 


TRUE  RELIGION.  133 

Let  your  example  and  precept  be  such  as  to  honor 
God,  and  influence  others  to  embrace  and  practice 
the  principles  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  The  true 
Christian  must  aim  to  glorify  God  in  all  his  ordinary 
business  affairs. 

He  is  bound  to  make  it  manifest  to  all  observers, 
that  his  secular  business  is  designed  and  adapted,  not 
merely  to  benefit  himself,  but  with  a  benevolent  spirit 
and  strict  honesty,  to  promote  the  welfare  of  his 
fellow-men.  He  is  not  at  liberty  to  pursue  any  voca- 
tion which  is  naturally  detrimental  to  society,  lest  he 
misrepresent  and  dishonor  religion  Therefore  it  be- 
comes all  Christians  to  so  arrange  their  domestic 
affairs,  their  houses,  their  furniture  and  equipage  as 
to  glorify  God. 

They  are  to  "use  this  world  as  not  abusing  it,'^  in 
all  their  relations  to  it.  They  are  to  furnish  their 
tables  with  such  agreeable  and  healthful  food  and 
drink,  and  partake  of  them  in  such  a  temperate  man- 
ner, as  shall  subserve  their  efficiency  and  usefulness, 
not  only  in  their  more  strictly  religious  duties,  as 
commonly  understood,  but  also  in  the  common  secular 
affairs  of  life.  As  a  writer  has  obser^^ed  ;  *'  It  is  gen- 
erally conceded  that  the  work  of  forming  character, 
of  directing  the  plastic  minds  of  children  is  of  the 
utmost  importance. 

If  it  were  better  understood  and  conscientiously 
performed,  adult  life  would  not  so  often  be  a  long  and 
agonizing  struggle  between  conscience  and  evil  de- 
sires, and  evil  would  be  found  hateful  and  not  in  ac- 
cordance with  habit. 

As  the  character  therefore  acquired  in  this  life  must 
12 


134  TRUE  RELIGION. 

materially  affect  our  condition  in  the  life  beyond  this 
one,  it  would  seem  that  mothers  and  teachers  have 
especially  committed  to  them  the  work  of  the  Lord." 
As  without  the  earnings  of  husbands  and  fathers, 
women  would  have  to  be  bread-providers  when  help- 
less little  ones  make  exhau  ting  demands  upon  their 
souls  and  bodies,  thus  of  necessity  discharging  imper- 
fectly two  separate  and  conflicting  lines  of  duty.  The 
work  of  men  in  business  is  also  seen  to  be  a  part  of 
the  Lord's  work. 

Inasmuch  as  patriotism  has  in  all  ages  been  consid- 
ered one  of  the  most  exalted  duties  of  man,  and  no 
land  can  long  be,  even  in  a  low  degree,  prosperous, 
whose  laws  are  not  based  on  justice — the  exercise  of 
political  duties  must  also  be  a  part  of  the  work  of  the 
Lord.  Well  would  it  be  for  our  country  if  all  pro- 
fessing Christians,  as  well  as  educated  men,  more 
generally  recognized  and  acted  upon  this  truth. 

Eeforms  have  a  vital  connection  with  the  moral 
and  spiritual  development  of  nations,  and  must 
therefore  be  an  important  part  of  the  work  of  the 
Lord.  The  habit  of  thinking  of  religious  duty  as 
though  it  did  not  embrace,  and  had  no  necessary  con- 
nection with  the  secular  affairs  of  life,  but  might  be 
all  performed  at  particular  places  and  seasons  ;  that 
nothing  but  the  promulgation  or  acceptance  of  doc- 
trinal truth,  and  the  public  or  private  exercises  of 
worship  can  be  properly  called  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
is  most  pernicious. 

Its  tendency  is  to  make  Christians  feel  that  the 
domestic,  educational  and  business  duties  of  life, 
when  performed  even  with  an  eye  single  to  the  glory 


TRUE  RELIGION.  135 

of  God,  are  so  secular  and  worldly  that  they  cannot 
be  religiously  regulated,  eo  as  to  ensure  the  divine 
commendation:     "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  ser- 
(     vant,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

WHO  ARE  THE  RIGHTEOUS? 

There  is  a  distiDction  between  saints  and  sinners, 
but  it  is  very  conamon  for  men  to  estimate  them- 
selves and  their  associates  in  proportion  to  their  ex- 
ternal morality,  or  the  apparent  strictness  of  their 
religious  and  ceremonial  observances,  so  as  to  think 
that  their  infinitesimal  differences  can  form  no  clear 
line  of  distinction  between  living  Christians  and  the 
very  best  of  mere  moralists.  But  ''  the  Lord  (who) 
searcheth  all  hearts,  and  understandelh  all  the  imagi- 
nations of  the  thoughts,"  clearly  discerns  a  very  wide 
and  radical  distinction  between  the  habitual  and  ruling 
intentions  of  the  most  inconsistent  of  the  real  imita- 
tors of  their  Divine  Master,  and  the  most  upright  of 
mere  worldlings,  who  follow  their  natural  desires,  in 
pleasing  themselves  rather  than  making  it  their  su- 
preme and  all  controlling  purpose  to  please  their 
Heavenly  Father  in  all  things.  Hence  it  becomes 
us  to  study  the  Scriptures  carefully,  that  we  may  un- 


RETRIBUTION.  137 

derstand  the  fundamental  difference  between  those 
whom  God  denominates  "the  righteous  and  the 
wicked,  and  those  who  serve  God  and  those  who 
serve  Him  not." 

Who  then  are  the  righteous?  In  the  Bible  we 
learn  that  the  righteous  are  not  those  who  with  the 
boastful  spirit  of  the  Pharisees,  "  trust  in  themselves 
that  they  are  righteous,  and  despise  others.''  "  For 
every  one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased." 
They  do  not  trust  in  their  good  works,  ^'knowing 
that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law, 
but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ."  And  they  have  no 
confidence  in  the  saving  efficacy  of  the  mere  heart- 
less forms  and  ceremonials  of  religion.  For  God 
says  to  all  such  devotees  at  His  altars,  '*  Bring  no 
more  oblation ;  incense  is  an  abomination  unto  me. 
The  new  moons  and  Sabbaths,  and  the  calling  of  as- 
semblies, I  cannot  away  with;  it  is  iniquity,  even  the 
solemn  meeting.  Behold,  to  obey  is  better  than  sac- 
rifice." Neither  do  the  truly  righteous  trust  to  their 
excited  feelings  and  emotional  exercises  as  proof  in 
itself  of  their  Christian  character.  If  any,  at  the 
time  of  their  hopeful  conversion  are  mistaken,  so  as 
to  consider  mere  animal  excitement  religion,  they 
■will  soon  discover  when  it  subsides  that  "they  have 
no  root  in  themselves,  and  so  endure  but  for  a  time  ; 
afterward,  when  affliction  or  persecution  ariseth,  for 
the  world's  sake  immediately  they  are  offended,  and 
abandon  their  spurious  hopes  of  heaven." 

But  I  now  maintain  affirmatively  that  the  righteous 
are  those  who  have  renounced  mere  self-gratification 
as  their  uniform  law,  and  have  given  themselves  up 
♦12 


138  TRUE  RELIGION. 

devotedly  to  obey  the  divine  law,  as  revealed  in  the 
conscience  enlightened  by  the  illumination  of  God's 
Holy  word. 

They  abandon  their  native  selfishness,  and  under 
the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  they  honestly  and 
perseveringly  endeavor  to  live  a  life  of  supreme  and 
benevolent  love  to  God  and  impartial  love  to  men, 
so  that  like  Jesus,  their  Almighty  Saviour  and  guide, 
they  may  go  about  doing  good  to  friends  and  foes. 

EXTRACTS. 

(1)  Now  do  any  think  that  such  a  benevolent  state 
of  mind  as  this  would  require  us  to  treat  all  other  in- 
terests of  equal  value  with  our  own  ?  No  'man  does 
or  can  act  upon  such  a  principle,  which  would  lead 
to  the  neglect  of  the  things  especially  committed  to 
our  care.  God  has  never  acted  upon  such  a  princi- 
ple. He  has  always  acted  upon  the  principle  of  ac- 
complishing the  greatest  practicable  good.  He  es. 
teems  the  good  of  all  and  of  each  of  His  creatures, 
according  to  their  intrinsic  and  relative  value,  but 
exercises  His  own  discretion  in  His  efforts  to  accom- 
plish the  greatest  amount  of  good.  And  such  must 
be  the  course  of  all  truly  benevolent  Christians.  For 
''  if  any  provide  not  for  his  own,  and  especially  for 
those  of  his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith  and 
is  worse  than  an  infidel."  "  Let  us  not  be  weary  in 
well  doing  ;  for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap  if  we 
faint  not."  "  As  we  have  therefore  opportunity,  let  us 
do  good  unto  all  men,  especially  unto  them  who  are 
of  the  household  of  faith."  The  greatest  practical 
good  must  be   the  aim  of  the  true   Christian.     He 


TRUE  RELIGION.  139 

must  bestow  bis  particular  efforts,  influence,  and  pos- 
session, upon  those  particular  interests  and  persons, 
where  on  the  whole  he  thinks  it  will  do  the  greatest 
amount  of  good. 

(2)  The  true  saint  is  justified  by  faith  in  Christ, 
and  has  the  evidence  of  it  in  the  peace  of  his  own 
mind.  He  is  conscious  of  obeying  the  law  of  reason 
and  of  love.  He  has  also  within  him  the  Spirit  of 
God,  witnessing  with  his  spirit  that  he  is  a  child  of 
God,  forgiven,  accepted,  and  adopted.  He  is  con- 
scious that  he  pleases  God  and  has  His  approbation. 

(3)  But  further,  the  true  Christian  overcomes  the 
temptations  of  the  w^orld.  '*  For  whatsoever  is  born 
of  God,  overcometh  the  world ;  and  this  is  the  victo- 
ry that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith."  And 
hereby  we  know  Him,  if  "  we  keep  His  command- 
ments, and  His  commandments  are  not  grevious." 

(4)  And  overcoming  the  world  implies  overcom- 
ing as  far  as  practicable,  in  our  feeble  condition,  all 
needless  anxiety  concerning  our  worldly  affairs.  It 
is  perfectly  natural  for  worldly-minded  and  selfish 
men  to  set  their  affections  on  attaining  a  great 
amount  of  worldly  property,  and  they  have  not 
learned  that  while  prudent  and  industrious  they 
should  trust  God  to  give  or  withhold,  according  to 
His  unerring  wisdom.  Hence  their  bosoms  are  like 
the  "  troubled  sea,  that  cannot  rest."  But  the  faith- 
ful and  devoted  Christian,  who  sets  his  "  affections  on 
things  above,  and  not  supremely  on  the  fading  things 
of  earth,"  gets  above  the  world,  to  a  great  extent,  and 
is  freed  from  ceaseless  and  corroding  anxiety.  ''  For 
God  doeth  all  things  well." 


140  TRUE   RELIGION. 

(5)  The  true  saint  is,  also,  a  reformer  from  princi- 
ple. He  is  distinguished  by  his  firm  adherence  to  all 
the  principles  and  rules  of  the  divine  government. 
He  needs  not  the  gale  of  popular  excitement  or  of 
popular  applause  to  put  and  keep  him  in  motion. 
His  intellect  and  conscience  have  taken  the  control 
of  his  will,  so  that  he  seeks  divine  grace  not  only  to 
reform  himself,  but  strives  to  reform  as  he  has  op- 
portunity all  the  existing  evils  of  society.  He  sym- 
pathizes with  every  effort  to  reform  mankind  and 
promote  the  interests  of  truth  and  righteousness  in 
the  earth. 

(6)  Christians  have  the  spirit  of  Christ.  "  What, 
know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  which  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  of  God,  and  ye 
are  not  your  own  ?  But  ye  are  not  in  the  flesh,  but 
in  the  spirit,  if  so  be  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in 
you.  Now,  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
he  is  none  of  His.  And  if  Christ  be  in  you  the 
body  is  dead  because  of  sin  ;  but  the  Spirit  is  life, 
because  of  righteousness.  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is 
love,  joy,  peace,  long  suffering,  gentleness,  goodness, 
faith,  meekness,  temperance.^'  They  that  are  Christ's, 
have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts. 

(7)  Christians,  or  truly  regenerate  souls,  experience 
great  and  present  blessedness  in  religion.  They  do 
not  seek  their  own  happiness  as  their  supreme  good, 
but  find  it  in  their  disinterested  efiforts  to  promote 
the  well  being  of  others.  Their  state  of  mind  is  it- 
self the  harmony  of  the  soul.  Happiness  is  both  a 
natural  result  of  virtue  and  also  its  governmental  re- 
ward.    Christians  enjoy  religion  just  for  the  reason 


TRUE  RELIGION.  141 

that  they  are  disinterested  in  it ;  that  is,  precisely  for 
the  reason  that  their  own  enjoyment  is  not  the  end 
which  they  seek.  And  selfish  professors  do  not  en- 
joy their  religion,  just  for  the  reason  that  their  own 
enjoyment  is  the  end  at  which  they  aim.  But  if  I 
Beek  the  good  of  others,  I  have  the  approbation  of 
conscience,  and  conscious  communion  and  fellow- 
ship with  God. 

Finally,  I  observe  our  natural  birth,  with  its  at- 
tendant laws  of  physical  and  mental  development, 
becomes  the  occasion  of  our  bondage  to  sin  and  suf- 
fering in  this  world.  Right  over  against  this  lies  the 
birth  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  by  the  spirit.  By 
this  the  soul  is  brought  into  new  relations,  into  inti- 
mate contact,  with  spiritual  things.  The  Spirit  of 
God  seems  to  usher  the  soul  into  the  spiritual  world, 
in  a  manner  strictly  analogous  to  the  results  of  the 
natural  birth  upon  our  physical  being.  The  great 
truths  of  the  spiritual  world  are  opened  to  our  view 
through  the  illumination  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  we 
seem  to  see  with  new  eyes,  and  to  have  a  new  world 
of  spiritual  objects  around  us. 


CHAPTER  XXY. 

DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN  MORALITY  AND  RELIGION. 

Morality  in  the  common  acceptation  of  the  term, 
denotes  that  system  of  moral  duties  which  men  owe 
to  each  other  in  their  natural  and  social  relations. 
It  refers  to  their  external  actions  as  they  bear  upon 
the  relative  rights  and  welfare  of  each  other,  and 
thus  it  determines  their  conduct  to  be  right  in  their 
treatment  and  intercourse  with  each  other. 

In  this  common  use  of  the  term,  it  applies  to  actions 
which  merely  accord  with  justice  and  human  laws, 
without  reference  to  the  motives  from  which  they 
proceed.  But  the  term  religion,  from  the  Latin,  to 
reconsider,  to  bind  anew,  to  fasten,  consists  in  rebind- 
ing  a  sinner  to  God,  who  has  been  separated  from 
Him. 

Hence  religion  not  only  ensures  the  practice  of  the 
moral  virtues  towards  men,  but  demands  a  much 
higher  and  stricter  type  of  morality,  which  is  regulated 
by  supreme  love  to  God  and  an  internal   design  to 


TRUE  RELIGION".  143 

obey  all  His  holy  requirements,  in  worshiping  Him 
and  doing  good  to  all  classes  of  the  human  family. 

Hence  religion  is  distinct  from  mere  morality  as 
the  latter  word  is  commonly  employed,  and  consists 
in  the  performance  of  the  duties  we  owe  directly  to 
God,  from  a  principle  of  obedience  to  His  holy  law. 

Says  Rev.  Joseph  Cook,"  That  the  ancients  under- 
stood the  difference  between  morality  and  religion  is 
evident  from  the  statament  that  Ulysses  passing  the 
enchanted  island,  filled  the  ears  of  his  crew  with  wax 
and  tying  himself  with  knotted  cords  to  the  mast,  that 
the  voice  of  the  Sirens  might  not  attract  them  to  the 
shore.  Orpheus  who  followed,  furnished  better  music 
than  the  Sirens,  and   the   temptation  was  removed." 

"Morality,"  says  Mr.  Cook,  "is  a  selfish  bond  of 
knotted  cords,  a  selfish  slavishness,  where  a  person 
wishes  to  sin  and  dares  not.  Religion  is  the  obe- 
dience of  affectionate  gladness.  The  Christian  is  a 
man  who  changes  eyes  with  God.  He  regards  sin  in 
all  its  forms  as  God  does.  When  a  man  has  acquired 
good  and  can  practice  it,  and  practice  it  as  the  pleas- 
ing and  controlling  purpose  of  his  life,  it  is  good  proof 
that  it  is  genuine.  If  when  face  to  face  with  tempta- 
tion we  can  do  this,  it  is  good  evidence.  Religion, 
therefore,  and  not  mere  morality  is  necessary  to  the 
soul's  peace.  The  moral  man  knows  that  if  he  puts 
his  hand  in  the  fire  he  will  burn  it.  '  The  fear  of  the 
Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom.'  The  love  of  the 
Lord  is  of  little  value,  and  cannot  be  genuine  if  there 
is  no  fear  in  the  heart.  We  must  delight  in  all  the 
attributes  of  God,  His  justice,  as  well  as  His  mercy, 
or  we  cannot  be  genuine  Christians.     He  who  in  sail- 


144  TRUE  RELIGION. 

ing  past  the  island  of  temptation,  has  enlightened 
selfishness  enough  not  to  land,  although  he  rather 
wants  to, — he  who  therefore  binds  himself  to  the  mast 
with  knotted  thongs,  and  fills  the  ears  of  his  crew 
with  wax  ;  he  who  does  this,  without  hearing  a  better 
music  is  the  man  of  mere  morality.  In  facing  sirens, 
thongs  are  good  but  songs  are  better.  When  a  man 
of  tempestuous,  unrestrained  spirit  must  sail  over 
amber  and  azure  and  purple  seas,  past  the  island  of 
the  Sirens,  and  knots  himself  to  the  mast  of  mere 
outwardly  right  conduct,  by  the  thongs  of  safe  reso- 
lutions, although  as  yet  duty  is  not  his  delight,  he  is 
near  to  virtue.  He  who  spake  as  never  mortal  man 
spoke,  saw  such  a  young  man  once,  and  looking  on 
him,  loved  him,  and  yet  said,  as  the  nature  of  things 
says  also,  *  one  thing  thou  lackest  '  Evidently  he 
to  whom  duty  is  not  a  delight,  does  not  possess  the 
supreme  pre-requisite  to  peace  and  Christian  accep- 
tance and  fellowship  with  his  Master.  Morality  is 
Ulysses  bound  to  the  mast.  Religion  is  Orpheus  lis- 
tening to  a  better  melody,  and  passing  with  disdain 
the  sorceress'  shore." 


CHAPTER  XXYI. 

THE   MERE  MORALIST  GUILTY   A:N^D  CONDEMNED. 

It  is  common  for  men  to  estimate  their  innocence 
and  guilt  by  the  strictness  or  defects  of  their  external 
morality.  Hence  they  do  not  readily  perceive  the 
radical  and  wide  difference  ^'  between  the  righteous 
and  the  wicked ;  between  him  that  serveth  God  and 
him  that  serveth  Him  not."  Judging  according  to 
outward  appearances  merely,  it  seems  to  them  that 
there  can  be  no  such  essential  and  wide  difference 
between  the  best  of  moralists  and  the  most  defective 
of  genuine  Christians,  as  shall  not  only  separate  them 
widely  here,  in  the  estimation  of  the  searcher  of 
hearts,  but  also  separate  them  forever,  by  a  bridgeless 
gulf  in  the  future  world.  But  they  should  remember 
that  "  the  Lord  seeth  not  as  man  seeth ;  for  man 
looketh  on  the  outward  appearance,  but  the  Lord 
looketh  on  the  heart." 

The  Lord  sees  that  the  strictest  of  mere  moralists, 
in^all  his  natural  amiability  and  correctness  of  deport- 
13 


146  TRUE  RELIGION. 

ment,  seeks  uniformly  to  follow  the  natural  inclina- 
tions of  his  unrenewed  heart,  in  doing  that  which  is 
pleasing  to  himself,  without  supreme  regard  to  the 
commands  and  pleasure  of  his  Creator,  who  not  only 
forbids  all  evil,  in  thought,  word  and  deed,  but  goes 
further  and  demands  positive  obedience  and  inten- 
tional service.  "  Whether  therefore  ye  eat  or  drink, 
or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God." 
With  supreme  love  to  God  in  the  heart,  there  must  be 
an  habitual  purpose  to  please  Him  in  all  the  ordinary 
pursuits  of  life.  But  the  strictest  of  unregenerate 
moralists,  are  conscious  that  they  are  not  governed 
uniformly  by  such  a  controlling  motive. 

And  our  Lord  when  on  earth  said  of  this  class  of 
mere  moralists,  "  I  know  you,  that  you  have  not  the 
love  of  God  in  you."  Hence  they  are  guilty  and 
condemned  for  the  want  of  love  to  God,  for  the 
neglect  of  duty,  and  for  sins  of  omission.  The  sin  of 
the  mere  moralist  results  mainly  from  his  defective 
intention.  "  For  all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of 
the  glory  of  God."  ''  He  that  is  not  with  me  (says 
our  Lord)  is  against  me."  But  the  Christian  is  peni- 
tent for  the  sin  of  omission,  while  the  mere  moralist 
is  impenitent.  The  moralist  is  not  changed  and  re- 
newed in  the  ruling  purposes  of  his  heart.  Even 
though  his  outward  life  be  free  from  reproach,  his 
controlling  intention  is  not  the  divine  glory.  While 
not  loving  God  supremely,  and  manifesting  His  love 
by  designing  to  please  Him  in  all  things,  his  outward 
conduct,  however  commendable  abstractly,  does  not 
meet  the  claims  of  the  moral  law.  For  ''  love  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law."     While  with  the  true  Christian, 


TRUE  RELIGION.  147 

he  may  favor  by  his  presence  and  support  public 
worship,  he  is  not  a  spiritual  worshiper  from  the 
heart.  He  does  not  meet  the  claims  of  the  divine 
command.  For  God  has  said,  '^  they  that  worship 
Him  must  worship  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,"  and 
^^  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve."  "  For  they  that  are 
after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things  of  the  flesh  ;  but 
they  that  are  after  the  spirit,  the  things  of  the  spirit. 
So  then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God. 
Thou  art  weighed  in  the  balance  and  found  wanting." 


CHAPTER  XXYII. 

HUMILITY  AND  SELF  ESTIMATION. 

True  humility  consists  in  a  modest  and  correct  es- 
timate of  our  individual  worth  in  comparison  with 
others.  It  does  not  require  us  to  entertain  a  lower 
opinion  of  ourselves  than  we  really  deserve.  If 
with  good  reasons  we  know  ourselves  to  be  possessed 
of  a  good  measure  of  talent,  intelligence  and  virtue, 
we  have  no  right  to  consider  ourselves  inferior  to 
those  who  possess  in  reality  less  of  these  qualities. 

But  genuine  humility  does  not  consist  in  a  low 
opinion  of  ourselves  in  comparison  with  God,  and  in 
not  attributing  to  ourselves  any  excellence  or  attain- 
ments which  we  do  not  possess.  Hence  the  divine 
requirement,  '^  Be  clothed  with  humility,  for  God  re- 
sisteth  the  proud  and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble.'^ 
Let  not  a  man  ^'  think  of  himself  more  highly  than  be 
ought  to  think,^'  but  let  him  think  soberly,  reasona- 
bly, in  conformity  with  facts  and  things,  as  they  real- 
ly exist.     It  cannot  be  wrong  for  a  man  to  esteem 


RETRIBUTION.  149 

himself  more  skillful  in  his  profession  or  trade,  than 
some  of  his  brethren  if  he  really  is  so.  Such  an  es- 
timate is  not  incompatible  with  true  humility.  If  a 
man  finds  that  on  the  whole,  his  mind  is  more  active, 
and  his  opportunities  for  information  have  been 
greater  than  the  mass  of  men,  he  is  justifiable  in  be- 
lieving the  facts  in  the  case.  If  a  man  is  conscious  of 
clearness  and  logical  accuracy  in  reasoning,  and  fluen- 
cy of  speech,  humility  cannot  require  him  to  disbelieve 
the  facts,  lest  he  be  considered  "  self  conceited,  in 
thinking  of  himself  more  highly  than  he  ought  to 
think."  But  it  is  in  religious  matters,  in  the  relation 
of  men  to  God,  that  they  are  in  special  danger  of  en- 
tertaining radically  dangerous  and  false  opinions  of 
their  own  goodness  and  the  excellency  of  their  con- 
duct. These  erroneous,  as  well  as  correct  opinions, 
are  forcibly  illustrated  by  the  prayers  of  the  Phari- 
see and  Publican,  in  our  Lord's  parable.  ''  He  spake 
this  parable  to  certain  ones  who  trusted  in  them- 
selves that  they  were  righteous."  The  Pharisee  with 
a  self  righteous  spirit,  thanked  God  that  he  was  "not 
as  other  men  are.''  He  professed  to  abstain  from 
wrong  doing  to  others,  and  maintained  that  he  strict- 
ly observed  all  religious  ceremonies.  He  relied  upon 
this  kind  of  righteousness,  and  therefore  he  made  pub- 
lic and  ostentatious  pri)fessions  of  his  own  goodness. 
Such  a  standard  of  estimate  was  "  abominable  in  the 
sight  of  God,  who  looks  into  the  heart,  and  who  sees 
wickedness  there,  when  the  external  actions  may  be 
blameless."  But  the  Publican  had  a  more  correct 
estimate  of  himself.     He  was  conscious  of  his  guilt 

and  ill-desert.     He  was  grieved  in  view  of  his  sins, 
*13 


15)  TKUE  RELIGION.  m 

and  was  ready  to  humbly  confess  them  to  God.  " 
Hence  his  penitential  prayer,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner."  I  tell  you  this  man  went  down  to  his 
house  justified,  rather  than  the  other.  "  For  every 
one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased,  and-  he  that 
humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 

Says  D.  L.  Moody,  the  wonderful  revival  preacher, 
"  Now  the  difference  between  the  Pharisee  and  Pub- 
lican was,  that  one  prayed  in  his  own  self-righteous- 
ness, and  went  away  empty  ;  the  other  did  not  bring 
his  righteousness  and  good  deeds,  but  brought  his 
sins.  The  Pharisee  came  full  of  pride ;  he  wanted 
religion  and  God  to  bless  him.  God  had  a  blessing 
in  heaven  for  him,  but  He  could  not  give  it  to  him 
because  he  had  no  room  to  receive  it,  he  was  so  full 
of  conceit,  full  of  self-righteousness  of  himself.  In 
his  mistaken  self  exaltation  he  was  like  the  professing 
Christian  in  Revelation,  who  said,  '  I  am  rich,  and 
increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing.' 
Now  self-righteous  moralists,  who  in  their  secret 
thoughts,  if  not  in  their  boasting  professions,  hope 
to  be  saved  by  their  good  works,  may  see  their  true 
character  reflected  in  this  divine  looking  glass,  and 
learn  the  folly  and  wickedness  of  their  proud  hearts. 
They  cannot  see  the  vileness  of  their  own  self  right- 
eousness. For  '  we  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and 
all  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags.'  If  we  are 
really  convicted,  and  see  our  sins  as  God  does,  we 
shall  be  truly  penitent,  and  offer  the  prayer  of  the 
broken  hearted  Publican,  '  God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner.'  If  with  penitence  we  confess  and  forsake 
our  sins,  trusting  in  Christ  who  died  for  our  sins,  we 


TRUE  RELIGIOK  151 

shall  have  mercy.  For  such  a  correct  and  humble 
estimate  of  ourselves  as  ruined  sinners,  will  lead  us 
to  offer  unto  God  acceptable  prayer,  that  we  may  be 
^justified  in  His  sight/  ^  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  ex- 
cept ye  be  converted  and  become  as  little  children, 
ye  shall  not  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  *  For  I 
say  through  the  grace  given  unto  me,  to  every  man 
that  is  among  you,  not  to  think  of  himself  more  high- 
ly than  he  ought  to  think.'  In  lowliness  of  mind,  let 
each  esteem  others  better  than  themselves.  Let 
this  mind  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus." 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

FULL  ASSURANCE  AND   WITNESS  OF  THE   SPIRIT. 

"  Faith  is  the  milk,"  says  Spurgeon,  "  and  assurance 
is  the  cream  that  rises  on  it.  If  you  have  genuine 
milk  you  are  pretty  certain  to  have  cream." 

"  There  are  two  kinds  or  shades  of  assurance," 
says  Dr.  Cuyler,  "one  of  faith,  and  one  which  the 
apostle  calls  the  *  full  assurance  of  hope.'  Faith  is 
the  soul  trusting  itself  to  Jesus  Christ.  Assurance  is 
the  full  confidence  of  a  believer  in  his  own  safety — 
that  being  united  to  Christ,  he  is  delivered  from  the 
law  of  sin  and  death." 

*'  The  spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit, 
that  we  are  the  children  of  God."  Now  in  order  to 
obtain  this  witness  of  the  spirit,  we  must  examine 
ourselves  and  see  if  the  fruits  of  the  spirit  man- 
ifest themselves  in  our  own  experience.  "  The 
fruit  of  the  spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering, 
gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance  ;  " 
against  such  there  is  no  law.    ''They  that  are  Christ's 


TRUE  RELIGION.  153 

have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts." 
The  Christian  who  enjoys  these  fruits  of  the  spirit 
has  the  inward  witness  of  the  spirit,  and  has  a  right 
to  the  full  assurance  of  faith,  of  hope,  and  of  under- 
standing. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE  WAY  OF  EMUSTENT  HOLINESS. 

All  true  Christians  are  in  some  measure  holy,  and 
they  desire  an  increase  of  holiness.  And  in  propor- 
tion to  their  belief  that  entire  holiness,  either  as  an 
act  or  a  state,  is  attainable  in  this  life,  they  desire  not 
only  to  be  perfectly  holy,  but  permanently  so,  that 
they  may  be  completely  fitted  for  the  perfect  society 
of  the  ^*  spirits  of  just  men,  made  perfect  in  heaven." 
Such  holiness  in  men  consists  in  entire  conformity  to 
the  perfect  moral  character  of  God,  and  an  earnest  in- 
tention to  do  continually  all  his  requirements,  as  well 
as  to  submit  readily  and  unconditionally  to  all  his 
dispensations,  according  to  the  ability  and  grace 
given  unto  us.  How  then  shall  we  attain  to  this 
highest  degree  of  holiness  possible  to  men  ?  Jesus 
saith,  "  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life."  We 
must  therefore  not  only  consecrate  ourselves  entirely 
to  His  service,  but  we  must  abandon  all  trust  in  our 
own    unaided    strength  to  overcome   temptation   to 


TRUE  RELIGION.  165 

sin,  and  trust  entirely  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for 
victory.  His  name  is  called  "  Jesus,  for  He 
shall  save  His  people  from  their  sins."  Says  the 
apostle,  "I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which 
strengtheneth  me,"  ''  This  is  the  victory  that  over- 
cometh  the  world,  even  our  faith."  Our  Saviour  has 
said  to  those  who  earnestly  and  persistently  resist 
temptatioB,  trusting  to  His  assisting  grace  for  purity 
of  heart  and  victory  over  temptation,  "  Sin  shall  not 
have  dominion  over  you,  for  ye  are  not  under  law 
but  under  grace."  "  He  will  not  suffer  you  to  be 
tempted  above  that  ye  are  able,  but  with  the  tempta- 
tion will  make  a  way  of  escape  that  ye  may  be  able 
to  bear  it."  So  that  we  may  reckon  ourselves  "  to 
be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 

Then,  in  the  words  of  an  ancient  saint  hungering 
and  thirsting  after  righteousness,  we  may  say  to  Him 
in  prayer,  "  Lord,  thou  hast  declared  that  sin  shall 
not  have  dominion  over  those  that  trust  in  Thee,  for 
overcoming  power  and  grace.  I  believe  this  word 
of  Thine  cannot  be  broken,  and  therefore,  helpless  in 
myself,  I  rely  upon  thy  faithfulness  to  save  me  from 
the  dominion  of  sins  which  now  tempt  me.  Put 
forth  thy  power,  O  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  get  Thy- 
self great  glory  in  subduing  my  flesh,  with  its  affec- 
tions and  lusts."  Then  we  must  believe  that  our 
prayer  will  be  answered,  and  we  must  leave  our- 
selves in  His  care.  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
cleanseth  us  from  all  sin,"  past  and  present,  while 
the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  distinctively  the  sanctifier, 
applies  the    truth  of  Jesus  in   giving  victory    over 


156  TRUE  RELIGION. 

temptation  to  sin.  '^  Sanctify  them  througli  Thy  truth." 
But  the  Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom 
'^  the  Father  will  send  in  my  name.  He  shall  teach 
you  all  things  and  bring  all  things  to  your  remem- 
brance, whatsoever  I  have  said  unto  you." 

If  we  truist  Christ,  moment  by  moment,  for  the  ful- 
fillment of  His  precious  promises,^the  Holy  Spirit  will 
bring  such  weighty  motives  to  our  minds  in  favor  of 
obedience  to  the  divine  law,  that  we  shall  experience 
their  power  to  save.     Then  we  shall  be  able  to  say : 

"'Tisdone! 
Thou  dost  this  moment  save, 

With  full  salvation  bless, 
Redemption  through  the  blood  I  have 

And  spotless  love  and  peace." 

It  will  then  be  our  habitual  purpose  to  imitate  the 
example  of  Christ  in  all  our  ways.  It  will  be  our 
strong  desire  that  His  spirit  shall  continually  reign 
in  our  hearts,  and  control  all  our  intentions  as  well 
as  actions,  and  that  we  may  have  the  same  temper 
and  disposition  which  actuated  Him,  and  that  we 
may  have  constantly  in  view  the  same  great  end 
which  influenced  our  blessed  Redeemer  in  His  holy 
life. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 
THE  HIGHEST  PRACTICAL  PIETY. 

(1.)      SANCTIFICATION   IMPORTANT. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  present  century,  that  emi- 
nent statesman  and  Christian  philanthropist,  William 
Wilberforce,  of  Great  Britain,  published  a  treatise  of 
great  religious  value,  on  Practical  Piety,  which  was 
widely  circulated  in  Europe  and  America,  and  did 
more  in  elevating  the  standard  of  practical  godliness 
throughout  Christendom  than  almost  any  other  relig- 
ious publication  of  that  period.  But  during  the  more 
than  half  a  century  since  that  precious  volume 
wrought  its  great  religious  reformation  among  the 
professed  children  of  God,  the  facilities  for  propagat- 
ing the  Christian  religion  and  enlightened  civilization 
throughout  the  world,  have  increased  more  rapidly 
than  at  any  previous  period  since  its  first  promulga- 
tion. And  as  progress  in  science  and  the  mechanic 
arts,  and  facilities  for  travel  and  intellectual  inter- 
14 


158  TRUE  EELIGION. 

communication,  with  advantages  for  thorough  gene- 
ral education,  have  increased  in  a  more  rapid  ratio 
than  in  any  previous  period  of  our  v^orld's  history, 
he  who  shall  publish  the  most  scriptural  and  accepta- 
ble explanation  and  method  of  attaining  the  highest 
state  of  practical  piety,  possible  in  the  present  life, 
on  the  part  of  Christians,  may  justly  be  considered 
not  only  a  Christian,  but  a  public  benefactor.  For 
the  stirring  aspect  of  the  times,  and  the  increased  ac- 
tivities of  the  Christian  life,  imperatively  demand  the 
humblest  as  well  as  the  most  reflective  and  devout 
practical  piety.  But  in  presenting  a  theory  for  Chris- 
tian living,  for  the  children  of  God,  it  is  obvious  that 
it  should  be  neither  higher  nor  lower  than  the  Bible 
imperatively  requires;^  nor  than  is  attainable  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  in  the  Christian  experience  of  every  re- 
generated soul,  who  honestly  and  earnestly  desires 
such  an  inestimable  blessing,  by  the  proffered  aids  of 
divine  grace,  however  feeble  may  be  his  natural  ca- 
pacities, and  however  depraved  may  have  been  his 
natural  propensities,  and  however  formidable  may 
be  his  struggles  with  outward  temptation. 

In  view  of  the  very  low  and  superficial  type  of 
piety,  which  so  commonly  prevails  among  too  many 
professing  Chistians  in  our  times,  it  is  important  that 
they  realize  not  only  their  imperative  duty  and 
exalted  privilege  to  attain  the  higher  Christian  life, 
but  really  to  make  the  very  highest  practical  attain- 
ments in  scriptural  holiness;  that  they  should  dili- 
gently aim  at  an  endeavor  to  attain,  and  as  their  rule 
of  life  live,  in  a  state  of  entire  sanctification.  There- 
fore, they  should  strive  to  the  utmost  practical  extent 


TRUE  RELIGION.  159 

by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  to  imitate  ''His  example, 
who  did  no  sin,"  and  thus  resist  and  overcome  habit- 
ually the  temptations  to  sin,  from  "  the  world,  the 
flesh,  and  the  devil."  For  in  our  Saviour's  memora- 
ble intercessory  prayer  for  all  Christians,  as  He  was 
about  to  terminate  this  mortal  life,  he  said:  "They  are 
not  of  the  world,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world.  I 
pray  not  that  Thou  shouldst  take  them  out  of  the 
world,  but  that  Thou  shouldst  keep  them  from  the 
evil.  Sanctify  them  through  Thy  truth."  Meaning 
that  God  should  keep  them  from  yielding  to  the 
temptations  of  the  evil  one,  that  is,  the  devil,  from 
backsliding  in  heart,  and  from  the  slightest  apostacy 
from  a  life  of  perfect  purity  and  holiness,  and  that  he 
would  keep  them  cleansed  from  all  sin. 

(2)   A  REFORMATION  GREATLY  NEEDED. 

But  as  this  vital  doctrine  concerning  the  eminent 
personal  holiness  of  the  children  of  God,  w^hich  oc- 
cupied so  prominent  a  place  in  the  thoughts  and  de- 
sires of  the  blessed  Master  in  His  closing  prayer  on 
earth,  has  fallen  into  comparative  obscurity  in  the 
prayers  and  exhortations  of  the  mass  of  professing 
Christians,  and  is  now  almost  as  much  neglected  (if 
not  absolutely  discredited  as  impracticable,)  as  a 
matter  of  absolute  Christian  experience  by  many  in 
the  Protestant  Christian  Church,  as  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith  alone  is,  in  the  Papal  Church; 
and,  as  we  had  a  general  reformation  on  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith,  about  three  and  a  half  centu- 
ries ago,  we  as  much  need  a  more  extensive  one  now, 
in  the  Protestant  Church,  on  the  doctrine  of  sanctifi- 


160  TRUE  RELIGION. 

cation  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  And  as  our  Lord  has 
said  much  more  in  the  Scriptures  in  favor  of  entire 
sanctification  in  this  life,  than  of  justification,  it  is  rea- 
sonable that  His  ministers  should  follow  His  example. 

It  is  therefore  for  the  want  of  this  general  refor- 
mation in  the  Church  at  large,  in  her  teachings  and 
efforts  in  promoting  the  highest  form  of  practical  holi- 
ness, that  young  converts  enter  the  Church  expecting 
to  fall  from  their  first  love — or  merely  keep  up  a 
suflScient  form  of  Godliness  to  retain  their  hope  of 
salvation — instead  of  "  growing  in  grace,  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

And  the  low  and  worldly  type  of  piety,  prevailing 
as  a  natural  consequence  among  many  of  our  church- 
members,  proves  a  formidable  hindrance  to  success 
in  preaching  and  other  efforts  for  the  conversion  of 
sinners.  The  inconsistencies  of  such  merely  justified 
Christians,  in  the  legal  aspect  of  justification,  so  mis- 
represent the  religion  of  Christ,  to  the  impenitent, 
that  they  think  a  conversion  to  such  a  type  of  piety 
can  hardly  ensure  their  salvation  ;  and  their  want  of 
active  co-operation  in  the  service  of  God,  and  faithful 
co-operation  with  the  ministry,  too  frequently  para- 
lyzes the  effect  of  the  most  eloquent  preaching. 

Under  such  circumstances,  it  seems  expedient  in 
this  connection,  in  a  comprehensive  manner,  to  define 
and  vindicate  this  much  neglected  and  vital  Scripture 
truth,  as  taught  by  Christ  and  His  apostles.  It  is 
certainly  desirable  that  all  Christians,  and  religious 
teachers  especially,  should  entertain  clear  and  con- 
sistent, as  well  as  settled  views,  of  this  great  cardinal 
and  fundamental  doctrine. 


TRUE  RELIGION.  161 

For  our  Saviour  esteemed  it  so  very  important 
that  Ele  made  the  sanctification  of  His  people  the 
burden  of  His  prayer  under  the  most  solemn  circum- 
stances. '^  That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou,  Father, 
art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  may  be  one  in  us, 
that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  has  sent  me. 
I  in  them  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made 
perfect  in  one,  and  that  the  world  may  know  that 
thou  hast  sent  me."  And  from  this  we  learn  that  all 
Christians  should  be  perfectly  united  with  Christ  and 
each  other  in  their  plans,  counsels  and  holy  purposes 
in  life,  so  as  to  reflect  as  in  a  mirror  the  very  image 
of  their  Lord.  For  He  hath  said,  *'  let  your  light 
shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good 
works,  and  Glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven." 

Having  considered  in  these  prefatory  statements, 
the  importance  of  the  Highest  Practical  Piety,  and 
that  a  reformation  is  needed,  to  save  misapprehension 
on  the  part  of  such  persons  as  may  not  have  thor- 
oughly and  candidly  studied  the  doctrine  of  practical 
holiness,  it  is  of  vital  consequence  that  the  following 
explanations  should  be  clearly  understood  before  the 
proof  of  its  actual  attainability  can  be  fairly  appre- 
ciated. 

(3)      DEFINITION. 

"  Sanctification  is  commonly  defined  to  be  that 
glorious  work  of  God's  free  grace  in  the  soul,  by 
which  a  sinner  after  he  has  been  justified,  is  renewed 
after  the  image  of  God  and  enabled  to  die  unto  sin 
and  live  unto  righteousness." 

Entire  sanctification  in  this  life,  consists  in  entire 
♦14 


162  TRUE   RELIGION. 

conformity  in  heart  and  life  to  all  the  known  will  of 
God,  in  doing  as  well  as  a  person  can,  or  knows  how 
to  live.  And  this  is  all  God  requires.  Entire  conse- 
cration is  essential  to  the  commencement  of  the 
Christian  life,  ''  for  whosoever  he  be  of  you,"  says  the 
Master,  ''  that  forsaketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot 
be  ra}^  disciple."  He  must  "believe  with  the  heart 
unto  righteousness,"  in  order  to  justification  by  faith 
in  Christ.  And  being  thus  entirely  consecrated,  so 
far  as  this  single  act  is  concerned,  he  is  entirely 
sanctified  for  the  time  being,  for  "  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.'' 

But  in  order  that  he  may  attain  a  state  of  entire 
sanctification,  he  must  uniformly  and  continuously 
cherish  entire  purity  of  intention,  dedicating  his 
whole  life  to  the  love  and  service  of  God,  by  faith 
not  only  in  the  justifying  but  sanctifying  grace  of 
Jesus  Christ.  And  such  a  life  is  lived  in  a  state  of 
entire  and  continuous  sanctification.  The  prayer  of 
faith,  under  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  "the 
very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly,  and  preserve 
you  blameless,"  is  an  aspiration  for  the  most  com- 
plete type  of  Christian  character  attainable  in  this  life. 

But  the  realization  of  such  blameless  piety  in  the 
eyes  of  the  searcher  of  hearts,  cannot  reasonably  be 
expected  to  render  the  Christian  either  omniscient  or 
infallible,  so  as  to  exempt  him  from  mistakes  or  even 
posirive  faults  in  the  "judgment  of  men,  who  look 
upon  the  outward  appearance,  while  the  Lord  looketh 
upon  the  heart  "  and  judges  by  its  purity  of  intention. 
For  in  fulfilling  the  apostle  Paul's  inspired  prayer, 
"  sanctify   you  wholly,  and  preserve  you  blameless," 


TRUE  RELIGION.  163 


God  can  only  sanctify  the  Christian  and  perpetuate 
his  singleness  of  purpose,  in  resisting  all  temptation, 
and  his  fixed  purpose  to  obey  from  the  heart  all  the 
divine  commandments. 

The  Christian  therefore  may  be  entirely  sanctified 
in  this  life  and  be  preserved  blameless,  even  while  he 
is  not  perfectly  faultless  in  all  his  external  conduct. 

Bat  does  any  one  ask  how  this  statement  and  dis- 
tinction may  appear  consistent?  Suffer  me  to  borrow 
an  illustration.  ^'  We  may  take  a  little  child  (says 
I  Miss  Smiley)  whose  loving  heart  is  bent  on  pleasing 
her  mother.  Her  first  little  task  of  needle  work  is 
put  into  her  hands,  but  the  little  fingers  are  all  un- 
skilled, nor  has  she  any  thought  of  the  nicety  re- 
quired ;  and  the  mother,  in  taking  it,  sees  two  things; 
one  is  a  work  (really  faulty)  with  the  stitches  long 
and  crooked  ;  and  the  other  is  that  smiling,  upturned 
face,  with  its  sweetness  of  conscious  love.  The 
child  is  blameless,  but  her  work  not  faultless.  It  will 
be  nearer  and  nearer  faultless  as  day  after  day  she 
gathers  skill,  and  ever  new  ideas  of  care  and  faithful- 
ness in  her  tasks ;  but  still  in  her  mother's  eyes  she 
is,  first  as  well  as  last,  her  blameless  child,  for  she 
appreciates  the  earnestness  and  singleness  of  the  in- 
tention in  doing  the  work  as  well  as  it  is  possible 
with  her  feeble  capacities.  And  surely  every  believ- 
ing loving  child  of  God  may  regard  this  blessing  of 
blamelessness  not  as  one  to  be  finally  reached,  but 
one  to  enjoy  along  the  way. 

And  yet  such  a  child  cannot  aim  at  less  than 
his  entire  approval.  He  will  not  abuse  such  a 
comfort  or  count  it  the  chief  thing;  but  ever  seeing 


164  TRUE  RELIGION. 

more  fully  the  vast  importance  of  all  his  Father's  inter- 
ests, and  his  earnest  desire  to  make  him  a  workman 
that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  he  will  ever  beseech 
Him  not  to  spare  his  correction,  but  to  show  him 
faithfully  every  fault,  that  it  may  be  rectified,  and 
that  he  may  be  "  made  meet  to  be  partaker  of  the  in- 
heritance of  the  saints  in  light." 

(4)      EXPLANATION. 

Sanctification  is  distinguished  from  justification, 
thus:  Justification  changes  our  state  in  law,  before 
God  as  a  Judge.  Sanctification  changes  our  heart 
and  life,  before  Him  as  our  Father.  Justification 
precedes,  and  sanctification  commonly  commences 
and  follows,  in  proportion  as  the  converted  man 
strives,  by  faith,  to  grow  in  grace,  as  the  fruit  and 
evidence  of  the  new  life  in  the  soul.  Justification 
removes  the  penalty  of  sin.  Sanctification  restrains 
the  power  of  temptation  to  sin,  while  undiminished 
faith  in  the  aid  of  Christ,  remains  in  full  exercise,  like 
that  of  Peter  in  walking  on  the  water.  Whenever  his 
faith  intermitted,  in  the  slightest  degree,  he  sank  be- 
neath the  waves.  So  it  must  be  with  the  sanctified 
Christian.  If  faith  intermits,  he  will  fall  into  sin. 
Justification  delivers  us  from  the  avenging  wrath  of 
God.  iSanctification  conforms  us  to  His  image  more 
and  more.  In  a  theological  sense,  justification  means 
remission  of  deserved  penalty  for  sin, — an  act  of  free 
grace,  by  which  God  pardons  a  sinner,  and  accepts 
him  as  righteous,  on  account  of  the  atonement  of 
Christ.  And  faith  is  that  voluntary  trust  in  the  aton- 
ing death  of  Christ,  by  which  a  sinner  who  cannot  be 


TRUE  RELIGION.  165 

justified  by  personal  excellencies  or  good  works,  is 
treated  by  God  as  though  he  were  just.  Justification 
not  only  delivers  from  punishment,  but  bestows 
positive  favor,  in  treating  men  on  the  first  act  of 
genuine  faith  as  though  they  were  perfectly  holy. 
*' The  blood  of  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin.''  And 
this  adoption  is  immediately  connected  with  justifi- 
cation, (a)  Adoption  is  simply  a  new  and  specific 
species  of  justification.  (6)  It  is  an  intense  descrip- 
tion. By  adoption  the  justified  children  of  God  be- 
come heirs  of  God  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ.  But 
entire  sanctification  as  a  state,  in  an  evangelical 
sense,  is  the  act  of  God's  grace  by  which  the  affec- 
tions of  men  are  purified  or  alienated  from  sin  and 
the  world,  and  exalted  to  such  a  supreme  love  to 
God  as  shall  ensure  continuous  obedience  to  the  di- 
vine law  from  the  best  of  intentions.  This  is  the 
meaning  in  the  passages,  "  The  very  God  of  peace 
sanctify  you  wholly  ;  "  "  Sanctify  them  through  Thy 
truth;"  "Through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit."  Al- 
though there  is  a  clear  distinction  between  justification 
and  sanctification,  they  are  inseparably  connected  in 
the  promises  of  God.  "  For  whom  He  justifies 
He  also  sanctifies,  and  whom  He  sanctifies  He  also 
glorifies."  "  Ye  are  washed,  ye  are  sanctified,  ye  are 
justified,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the 
Spirit  of  our  God." 

I.  In  what  respects  do  justified  and  sanctified 
Christians  agree  ?  (a)  It  seems  plain,  according  to 
the  Scriptures,  that  both  the  justified  and  the  sancti- 
fied begin  the  Christian  life  with  entire  consecration 
as  the  unalterable  condition  of  Christian  discipleship. 


166  TRUE    RELIGION. 

For  the  Great  Teacher  has  said,  "  Thoa  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart," — which  does  not 
mean  a  part  of  it.  "  What  does  the  Lord  thy  God 
require  of  thee,  but  to  do  justly  and  to  love 
mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God."  '^  Ye 
shall  seek  Me,  and  find  Me,  when  ye  shall  search 
for  Me  with  all  your  heart."  There  is  no  promise  of 
finding  God  with  partial  consecration.  And  with 
such  supreme  love  to  God  and  devotion  to  His  ser- 
vice in  regeneration,  the  sinner  changes  his  control- 
ling purpose  from  sin  to  holiness.  There  can  be  no 
partial  consecration,  no  compromise  between  serving 
God  and  serving  the  world.  "  Ye  cannot  serve  God 
and  Mammon."  ''  Whosoever  he  be  of  you  that  for- 
saketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple." 
Did  not  Peter  say  to  Ananias,  who  made  a  partial 
consecration,  "  Why  hath  satan  filled  thy  heart,  to  lie 
to  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  keep  back  part  of  the  price  ?  " 
What  does  God  say  is  the  difference  between  the  re- 
generate and  the  unregenerate  ?  "When  ye  were 
the  servants  of  sin,  ye  were  free  from  righteousness, 
but  now  being  made  free  from  sin,  and  become  the 
servants  of  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness." 
(h)  Both  these  classes  are  alike  in  the  fact  of  their 
justification.  ''  Being  justified  freely  by  His  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 
*' Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  "  For  with  the 
heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness."  And  the 
moment  the  sinner  heartily  complies  with  these 
terms  he  is  an  accepted  candidate  for  heaven.  "  If 
we  confess  our  sins,  God  is  faithful  and  just  to  for- 


TRUE  RELIGION".  167 

give  us  our  sins  and  cleanse  us  from  all  unrigliteous- 
ness."  (c)  Both  the  justified  and  the  sanctified  are 
exposed  to  temptation.  They  are  tempted  by  the 
world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil.  Sometimes  they  are 
tempted  to  neglect  duty,  sometimes  directly  and  pos- 
itively to  transgress  the  divine  law.  Even  those 
who  have  made  the  highest  practical  attainments  in 
sanctitication,  perhaps  even  greater  than  the  merely 
justified,  have  struggles  with  spiritual  enemies 
peculiar  to  an  advanced  state  of  grace.  For  so  it 
seems  to  have  been  wiih  Jesus.  "  For  we  have  not 
a  High  Priest,  which  cannot  be  touched  with  the 
feelings  of  our  infirmities,  but  was  in  all  points 
tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin."  "  The 
disciple  is  not  above  his  Master,  nor  the  servant 
above  his  Lord."  ''  It  is  enough  for  the  disciple  that 
he  be  as  his  Master."  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that  en- 
dureth  temptation."  (d)  Both  the  justified  and  sanc- 
tified, as  free  agents,  are  liable  to  yield  to  temptation 
and  fall  into  sin.  If  a  holy  angel  could  fall  and  be- 
come a  devil,  if  a  holy  Adam  was  not  free  from  the 
liability  of  sinning,  it  is  certainly  possible  with  the 
holiest  of  Christians, 

II.  Points  of  difference  between  justified  and 
sanctified  Christians,  (a)  Those  who  are  merely 
justified,  and  repeatedly  fall  under  the  power  of 
temptation,  find  their  experience  delineated  in  Ro- 
mans, seventh  chapter,  from  the  fourteenth  to  the 
twenty-fourth  verse.  While  the  sanctified  Christian 
finds  his  experience  delineated  in  the  sixth  chapter, 
from  the  first  to  the  eleventh  verse,  and  the  eighth 
chapter,  from  the  first  to  the  fourth  verse,  inclusive, 


168  TRUE   RELIGION". 

and  from  the  thirty-fifth  to  the  thirty-ninth  verse,  inclu- 
sive. (6)  Those  who  are  habitually  in  a  state  of 
sanctification,  grow  in  grace  more  rapidly  than  those 
who  live  in  a  mere  state  of  justification.  Growth  in 
grace  consists  in  the  increasing  strength  of  holy  af- 
fections, and  consequent  frequency  of  holy  volitions. 
Those  who  are  merely  justified,  so  frequently  yield 
to  temptation,  that  their  progress  in  the  divine  life 
is  greatly  impeded.  When  they  yield  to  inordinate 
desire,  darkness  settles  down  upon  their  souls  and 
hinders  their  progress.  They  feel  condemned.  They 
flounder  in  the  bitterness  of  penitence  until  by  a  new 
and  voluntary  act  of  faith,  they  cast  themselves  on 
the  Saviour  and  obtain  peace  in  believing.  And  in  the 
midst  of  their  back-sliding  and  discouragement,  they 
cry  out :  "  The  law  is  holy  and  the  commandment 
holy.  But  sin,  that  it  might  appear  sin,  worketh 
death  in  me  by  that  which  is  good  ;  that  sin  by  the 
commandment  might  become  exceeding  sinful.  For 
we  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual,  but  I  am  car- 
nal, sold  under  sin.  For  that  which  I  do  I  allow  not, 
for  what  I  would,  that  do  I  not ;  but  what  I  hate,  that 
do  I.  0  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  Who  shall  deliver 
me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?  '  But  those  who 
commonl}^,  if  not  uniformly,  live  in  a  state  of  sanctifi- 
cation, by  continuous  and  more  frequent  victories  over 
temptation  through  faith  in  Christ's  promised  assist- 
ance, accelerate  their  progress  in  piety.  In  propor- 
tion to  their  continuous  victories,  their  love,  their 
gratitude,  their  faith,  their  penitence — their  humility 
increases,  while  the  power  of  temptation  gradually 
and    naturally   weakens    in  its  assaults    upon    them. 


TRUE  RELIGION".  169 

Thus  all  their  increasing  power  of  love  and  devoted 
service  will  strengthen  their  affections  and  holy  pur- 
poses of  faithful  obedience,  while  in  proportion  as  they 
resist  the  devil  will  he  flee  from  them,  and  the  fascina- 
tions of  the  world  and  the  flesh  will  lose  their  en- 
chanting power  to  enslave  their  free  spirits.  By  a 
better  improvement  of  the  means  of  grace,  by  search- 
ing the  Scriptures,  and  more  intimate  communion 
with  God,  sanctified  Christians  will  follow  more 
strictly  the  example  of  Jesus,  who  was  holy,  harm- 
less, undefiled,  separate  from  sinners,  who  increased 
in  favor  with  God  and  man.  The  faultless  Saviour 
grew  in  grace.  And  we  know,  on  the  principles  of 
analogy,  that  we  too  may  grow  in  grace  more  rapidly 
in  proportion  as  we  become  assimilated  to  him.  For 
j  we  know  that  our  love  for  a  friend  worthy  of  our 
love,  increases  more  rapidly  in  proportion  as  we  en- 
joy his  society  and  meditate  upon  his  superior  excel- 
lencies. And  in  our  relation  to  our  Divine  Master, 
we  are  taught  that  "  the  path  of  the  just  is  as  the 
shining  light  which  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the 
perfect  day."  Thus  we  perceive  that  the  entirely- 
sanctified  differ  widely  from  the  merely  justified,  in 
I  this  kind  of  experience.  They  are  commonly,  as  the 
!  rule  and  purpose  of  life,  victorious  over  temptation. 
Thus  their  souls  are  saved  from  darkness,  discourage- 
ment, bitterness  and  anguish.  Sometimes  their  souls 
suffer  through  manifold  temptations.  But  they  stand 
and  triumph,  gaining  repeated  victories,  through 
faith  in  Christ's  proffered  assistance.  Thus,  unhin- 
dered by  voluntary  neglect  of  duty  or  positive  trans- 
gression, sanctified  souls  can  say  from  blessed  ex- 
15 


170  TRUE   RELIGION. 

perience,   "  We  all  with  open  face  beholding,  as  in  a 
glasS;  the  glory  of  the   Lord,  are  changed  into  the 
same  image,  from  glorj  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  spirit 
of  the  Lord.^'     And  says  the  inspired  apostle,  "  reckon 
ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but 
alive    unto    God    through    Jesus    Christ   our    Lord." 
"  For  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you,  for  ye 
are  not  under  the  law  but  under  grace. '^     "But,  God  be 
thanked,  that  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin;    but  ye 
have  obeyed  from  the  heart  that   form    of  doctrine 
which  was  delivered  you,"     (c)  "  The  sanctified  soul," 
as  a  writer  has  observed,   *'  has  received  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  new  covenant,  while  the  merely  justified 
has  not.     In  the  Old  Testament  times,  God  declared 
to  the    people  through  the  prophets,   that  the  days 
were  coming  when  He  should  make  a  new  covenant 
with  His  church.     *  This  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I 
shall  make  with  the  House  of  Israel,'  saith  the  Lord. 
*  I  will  put  my  law  into  their  inward  parts  and  write 
it  in  their  hearts.     Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water 
upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean  ;  from  all  your  filthi- 
ness  and  from  all  your  idols  will  I  cleanse  you  ;  a  new 
heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put 
within    you;   and  1  will  take  away  the  stony  heart 
out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh ; 
and  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to 
walk  in  My  statutes;   and  ye  shall  keep    My  judg- 
ments and  do  them.     In    that  day  there  shall    be  a 
fountain  opened  to  the   House  of  David,  and  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness. 
In  those  days,  and  at  that  time/  saith  the  Lord,  '  the 
iniquity  of  Israel  shall  be  sought  for,  and  there  shall 


TRUE  RELIGION.  171 

be  none,  and  the  sins  of  Judah,  and  they  shall  not  be 
found.'  This  is  God's  new  covenant.  It  became  due 
to  the  Church  at  the  death  of  Christ.  One  of  the 
objects  of  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  is  to  explain 
this  covenant,  and  urge  it  upon  their  acceptance. 
Under  this  covenant  the  Church  lives  to  day.  In 
this  covenant,  the  present  privileges  of  the  Cliurch 
are  laid  down.  The  Apostolic  Church  claimed  and 
received  its  fulfillment.  Some  individuals  have, 
since  then.  Spiritual  power  and  holiness  have 
marked  these  persons.  The  covenant  is  to  sanctify 
wholly  every  believing  soul,  and  sustain  it  in  this 
state  blameless  the  remainder  of  this  life,  and  forever 
in  heaven.  This  is  '  the  promise  of  eternal  life.'  The 
sanctified  soul  has  received  in  itself  the  fulfillment  of 
the  promise;  and  has  already  entered  upon  its  'eter- 
nal inheritance  of  righteousness,  peace  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost.'  "  This  is  not  true  of  the  soul  simply 
justified.  This  soul  has  not  yet  availed  itself  of 
God's  provisions  for  its  sanctification.  It  has  felt  its 
need  of  the  grace  of  pardon  and  acceptance.  It  has 
sought  this  by  coming  into  the  spirit  of  obedience, 
and  has  obtained  it.  Now,  it  must  feel  its  need  of 
sanctifying  grace,  and  must  ask  in  faith,  holding  on 
until  it  receives,  and  its  joy  is  full.  The  sanctified 
soul  has  received  the  fulfillment  of  the  new  covenant; 
the  soul  simply  justified  has  not.  The  sanctified  soul 
maintains  a  conscience  void  of  offence  toward  God 
and  man ;  while  a  soul  simply  justified  does  not. 
Justification  brings  the  soul  into  a  state  of  good  con- 
science. It  meets  all  present  obligations.  Conscience 
approves    so   long   as  the  soul   is  in  this    state,  and 


172  TRUE   RELIGIOIT. 

condemns  not.  But  to  its  distress,  the  justified 
soul  finds  itself  frequently  sinning.  Then  approval 
of  conscience  gives  way  to  condemnation.  As  a 
judge  it  passes  sentence;  as  an  internal  executioner 
it  inflicts  punishment.  The  soul  writhes  in  pain. 
David  brings  out  many  of  these  experiences  in  the 
Psalms.  The  simply  justified  soul  does  not  continu- 
ously maintain  a  conscience  "  void  of  offence  toward 
God  and  toward  man."  Indulged  sin  and  neglected 
duty  bring  frequent  sorrow  Not  only  does  this  soul 
more  or  less  commit  sin,  but  it  comes  into  fearful- 
ness  that  it  shall.  The  future  is  often  filled  with  fore- 
bodings. Convinced  of  its  weakness,  but  not  having 
appropriated  Christ's  strength,  anxiety  rests  heavily 
upon  it.  Thus  it  is  led  to  seek  and  find  full  salva- 
tion. The  sanctified  soul  has  not  this  present  expe- 
rience. This  is  a  thing  of  the  past.  A  good  con- 
science is  maintained  ;  no  wilful  neglect  of  duty 
takes  place.  Temptation  is  not  yielded  to  ;  the  soul 
overcomes.  It  can  truly  say  :  ''  I  live  with  all  good 
conscience." — "  The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ 
Jesus,  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and 
death."  By  mighty  reigning  grace  it  is  kept  in  this 
state.  It  is  not  condemned.  In  the  soul  is  peace  ; 
Christ  is  the  source  of  its  love:  By  grace  He  has 
begotten  it ;  by  grace  he  sustains  it.  The  flowing 
righteousness  of  the  soul  emanates  from  Christ.  Its 
righteousness  is  produced  by  the  grace  of  Christ. 
In  this  sense  Christ  is  its  righteousness.  It  gives 
Christ  all  the  glory,  (d)  ''  The  sanctified  soul  has 
such  strength  of  love  as  to  secure  its  resistance  to 
all  temptation,  and  its  performance  of  all  duty  j  this 


TRUE   RELIGIOJT.  173 

is  not  true  of  a  soul  simply  justiiiecJ.    The  soul  sanc- 
tified is  delivered.      The  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in 
Christ  Jesus  is  its  Deliverer.     The  influences  of  the 
life-giving  Spirit  induce  that  strength  of  love  which 
overcomes."     "  Herein  is  our  love  made  perfect."    In 
the    sanctified    soul    a    higher   form    of   love    exists. 
Choice  is  stronger,  emotions    are   deeper   and    more 
easily  aroused  ;  the  sensibility  is  quickened — its  emo- 
tiveness  is  heightened  ;  views  of  the  infinite  value  of 
Christ's  honor  and  glory  far  surpass  those  of  a  simply 
justified  person.     So  also,  do  those  appreciate  the  infi- 
nite worth  of  souls.     Choice  is  energized — there   ia 
power  in  it ;  it  struggles  unconquerably'  to  promote  its 
end.    God  must  be  glorified.     Man  must  be  saved  and 
blessed.  "  Self  must  be  left  out  of  the  question,"  says 
the    sanctified   soul.      Here    is    realization   of  truth, 
with  invincibleness  of  choice,  and  depth  and  quick- 
ness   of  feeling,    emotive    love.     The    soul    says    to 
temptation  :  ^'  Stand  thou  there,  I  am  God's.     I  have 
something  else  to  do  than  to  violate  law,  order,  con- 
science, reason  and  truth  in  the  gratification  of  self. 
I  have  a  God  to   glorify.      The    eternal   interests    of 
souls   hang   on    my    influence    and    efforts.'' 

**  Away!  vain,  vile  tempters,  away! 
Perishing  things  of  clay, 
Born  but  for  one  brief  day. 
Tempt  not  my  soul  away." 

This  is  the  attitude  of  the  sanctified  soul  toward 

temptation,  either  to  forms  of  sin  or  neglect  of  duty. 

There  is  a  strength  of  love  produced  and  sustained 

by  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  bids  defiance  to  all  tempta- 

*16 


174  TRUE  RELIGION. 

tion,  and  which  leads  the  soul,  simply  trusting  Christ 
for  strength,  to  fearlessly  close  in  at  once,  with  all 
duty  and  in  all  things  to  triumph  in  God.  The  weak 
love  of  a  simply  justified  soul,  more  or  less  gives  way 
to  temptation,  and  often  sings  its  own  peculiar  lam- 
entation : — 

"  Prone  to  wander,  Lord,  I  feel  it. 
Prone  to  leave  the  God  I  love." 

(e)  The  sanctified  soul  has  fellowship  with  the  Father 
and  His  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  which  the  merely  justified 
soul  has  not.  This  is  one  of  the  highest  forms  of 
Christian  experience.  It  can  be  understood  by  none 
but  those  who  have  it.  It  may  be  desired  however 
by  all.  It  may  be  possessed  by  all  who  will  in  faith 
seek  it  of  God.  The  convert  or  justified  person  has 
this  experience  in  a  faint  degree.  In  this  "fellowship" 
are  several  elements  and  several  high  degrees  of 
blessedness.  There  is  the  element  of  sensible  com- 
panionship. Many  converted  persons  feel  tJiat  Christ 
is  further  from  them  than  are  the  stars.  They  gaze 
about,  above.  They  see  no  Jesus,  they  realize  none. 
Jesus  seems  withdrawn  from  the  universe.  Especially 
do  souls  feel  thus,  if  at  conversion  they  had  some 
light  and  realization  of  Christ's  love.  These  feelings 
have  gone  away.  Darkness  has  settled  in.  Tliere 
was  no  need  of  this.  But  it  is  a  fact,  resulting  from 
want  of  instruction,  or  unwatchfulness.  They  feel 
alone.  Where  is  Jesus?  Oh,  they  don't  know! 
They  feel  like  ascending  up  to  heaven,  or  descending 
into  the  deep  to  find  Him.  They  do  not  realize  His 
presence.     He  seems   far   away.     In  a  wicked,   un- 


TRUE  RELIGION.  175 

friendly  world  they  feel  alone.  0,  the  loneliness  of 
such  loneliness!  The  soul  breaks  forth  with  Job: 
*'0,  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find  Him  !  "  This  is 
not  the  experience  of  a  back-slider,  but  of  a  soul 
being  drawn  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  feel  its  need  of 
sensible  union  with  Christ,  and  to  desire  it  deeply. 
It  does  not  want  Christ  to  seem  like  a  star  in  the  dis- 
tant firmament.  It  wants  "  a  God  at  hand  and  not 
afar  ofiV  This  experience  characterizes  persons  not 
made  perfect  in  love  in  this  sense  ;  sometimes  they 
have  seasons  of  joyful  nearness  to  Christ,  but  these 
are  exceptions.  A  sense  of  His  absence  is  the  general 
rule;  a  sense  of  His  presence,  the  exception.  With 
a  sanctified  soul,  the  opposite  is  true.  A  sense  of 
Christ's  absence  is  the  exception.  A  sense  of  His 
presence  is  the  general  rule.  The  soul  feels  Christ 
is  with  it.  When  it  thinks  of  Him  He  seem  near. 
He  dwells  within.  The  soul  knows  it  from  the  ex- 
perience which  it  has  of  divine  comforts  and  illumina- 
tions. When  illumination  is  temporarily  withdrawn, 
it  trusts  Him.  It  feels  perfectly  safe.  A  faithful 
Saviour  is  pledged  to  keep  it.  Thus  with  shadow 
and  shining,  as  the  blessed  Jesus  sees  best,  the  soul 
realizes  the  truth — more  and  more — "  Lo,  I  am  with 
you."  (/)  Another  element  of  fellowship  is  divine 
union.  A  sympathy  of  the  human  soul  with  the 
divine.  The  soul  justified  generally  laments  a  disin- 
clination to  meditate  closely  on  religious  truth.  The 
mind  does  not  seem  to  run  on  this  so  easily  as  it 
does  on  secular  subjects.  It  also  mourns  a  want  of 
feeling  ;  also  a  disposition  to  have  its  own  will,  and 
not  Christ's.    In  the  sanctified  soul  the  mind  naturally 


176  TRUE   RELIGION. 

runs  on  religion.  This  is  its  joyful  meditation  every 
moment  possible.  It  has  feeling  enough  ;  so  there  is 
and  can  be  no  condemnation  on  this  point.  Then  it 
has  a  sweet  consciousness  that  its  own  will  is  blended 
wholly  with  Christ's.  His  will  is  its  will,  even  to  the 
loss  of  all  earthly  comforts,  and  of  life  itself.  This  is 
the  continual  state  of  a  soul  entirely  sanctified.  As 
the  soul  grows  in  grace  many  other  blessed  experi. 
ences  develop  themselves,  so  that  we  all,  "beholding 
as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  from 
glory  into  glory,"  by"  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
(g)  The  sanctified  soul  has  Christ  actually  so  revealed 
to  it  from  time  to  time,  that  all  its  wants  are  met. 
The  soul  simply  justified,  mourns  over  wants  unsup- 
plied.  One  soul  realizes  the  blessedness  of  the  truth  : 
"Ye  are  complete  in  Him."  The  other  has  not  learned 
to  avail  itself  of  completeness  in  Christ.  If  it  trusted 
Christ,  if  its  faith  did  not  fail,  all  needed  grace  would 
momentarily  be  given.  But  when  the  time  comes  to 
walk  on  the  water,  faith  too  often  fails,  and  the  soul 
sinks,  crying,  *'  Lord  save  me," — to  rise  again.  The 
faith  of  the  sanctified  soul  does  not  fail ;  hence,  con- 
stant grace  and  constant  supply  for  all  real  soul- 
wants,  (/t)  The  sanctified  soul  trusts  Christ  as  sanc- 
tifier,  as  well  as  justifier  ;  the  simply  justified  soul 
does  not.  It  has  not  yet  learned  to  do  this.  Perhaps 
it  has  not  yet  felt  much  need  of  sanctification,  or  the 
gift  of  such  grace,  as  will  rectify  the  sensibility  and 
establish  the  soul  in  love.  Perhaps  feeling  its  need, 
it  has  been  taught  the  devil's  greatest  lie,  that  this 
grace  is  not  attainable  in  this  life — that  Christ  will 
entirely  sanctify  the  soul  in  this  life,  and  preserve  it 


TRUE  RELIGION.  177 

in  this  state,  if  he  is  trusted  as  taught  in  I.  Thess.  v  : 
23-24.  Perhaps,  hungering  and  thirsting,  it  has  not 
received  any  practical  teaching  on  this  subject,  and 
is  groping  in  doubt  and  darkness.  At  any  rate  it 
does  not  trust  Christ  as  its  entire  sanctifier,  as  it  does 
as  its  justifier.  But  the  sanctified  soul  does  this.  It 
as  much  trusts  Christ,  to  keep  it  sanctified  as  justi- 
fied. And  it  finds  Him  as  faithful  in  one  of  those 
offices  as  in  the  other. 

Blessed  Jesus,  I  would  be 

Perfectly  conformed  to  Thee ; 

Washed  in  Thine  own  precious  blood. 

Wholly  sanctified  to  God. 

Thou  alone  hast  power,  I  know. 

Full  salvation  to  bestow; 

And  I  trust  Thy  gracious  will. 

This  petition  to  fulfil.  , 

Blessed  Jesus!  even  now. 
While  before  Thy  cross  I  bow, 
Let  the  crimson,  cleansing  tide. 
Flowing  from  Thy  opened  side. 
Through  my  heart  its  passage  take 
Me  a  holy  temple  make — 
Where  Thy  will,  and  Thine  alone, 
Shall  forever  have  its  throne. 

Blessed  Jesus,  Thou  dost  hear! 
"  Perfect  love  casts  out  all  fear." 
While  Thy  promise  I  believe. 
Full  salvation  I  receive. 
Oh,  the  bliss,  the  joy,  the  peace! 
I  from  sin  have  sweet  release. 
Blessed  Jesus !  unto  Thee, 
Evermore  the  praise  shall  be. 


178  TRUE  RELIGION. 

(5)   NOT    SELF-RIGHTEOUS. 

Being  truly  sanctified,  such  Christians  are  free  from 
self-sufficiency  and  self-righteousness  and  deeply  feel 
the  need  of  God's  supporting  grace  to  enable  them  to 
resist  temptation.  They  feel  the  need  of  the  Holy 
Spirit's  constant  guidance,  lest  by  their  ignorance  or 
neglect  of  constant  watchfulness,  they  fall  into  griev- 
ous mistakes  or  be  tempted  to  indulge  in  known  or 
wilful  sins. 

(6)   NOT   BOASTFUL    OF    ATTAINMENTS. 

Knowing  their  fallibility  and  liability  to  mistake  in 
judging  of  the  moral  character  of  their  intentions  and 
volitions  for  a  single  day,  those  who  entertain  intel- 
ligent and  truly  humble  views  of  themselves  join  with 
Job  in  his  confession,  "  If  I  justify  myself,  mine  own 
mouth  shall  condemn  me,  if  I  say  I  am  perfect,  (that 
is  faultless),  it  shall  also  prove  me  perverse." 

(7)    CRITICISMS   OF  MEN  UNREASONABLE. 

But  at  the  same  time  with  an  enlightened  moral 
judgment,  *^  having  a  good  conscience,"  they  may 
feel  assured  that  their  loving  service  is  acceptable 
and  approved  of  God,  while  their  outward  conduct 
may  fail  to  meet,  or  satisfy  the  unreasonable  demands 
and  criticisms  of  men,  who  look  for  divine  infallibility 
or  absolute,  or  angelic  faultlessness.  Their  honest 
and  faithful  intention  to  serve  God  according  to  the 
best  of  their  ability  at  all  times,  can  be  known  only 
to  themselves  and  the  "Searcher  of  hearts."  "For  the 
Lord  seeth  not  as  man  seeth,  for  man  looketh  on  the 


TRUE  RELIGION.  179 

outward  appearance,  but  the  Lord  looketh  on  the 
heart."  But  in  proportion  to  their  absolute  holiness 
sanctified  Christians  (if  they  humbly  profess  it)  must 
expect  to  encounter  the  severest  criticisms.  For  it 
was  said  of  John,  the  beloved  disciple,  "  he  hath  a 
devil,"  and  of  the  Son  of  man  who  did  no  sin,  "  be- 
hold a  man  gluttonous  and  a  wine  bibber."  In  judg- 
ing of  justified  or  sanctified  Christians,  critics  should 
notice  the  best  and  not  the  poorest  specimens. 

(8)    TEMPTATIONS    NOT    SINFUL. 

But  in  order  to  render  entire  sanctification  in  this 
life  possible,  or  to  render  it  possible  for  any  finite, 
depraved  man,  through  the  operations  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  implicit  faith  in  the  victorious  power  and 
aid  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  cease  from  sin  at  all,  it  must  be 
understood,  that  neither  native  proneness  to  sin,  nor 
outward  temptation  to  sin,  are  not  themselves  actually 
sinful.  Temptation  is  the  necessary  test  of  character. 
If  a  man  is  not  tempted  he  cannot  prove  the  strength 
of  his  capacity  for  resistance.  There  can  be  no  evi- 
dence of  his  obedience  or  his  practical  holiness. 

(9)  distinction  between  depravity  and  sin,  ok  physical 
and  moral  depravity. 

(extract.) 

Depravity  always  implies  a  departure  from  a  state 
of  original  integrity,  or  from  conformity  to  the  laws 
of  the  being  who  is  the  subject  of  depravity,  whether 
these  laws  be  physical  or  moral.  Physical  depravity 
is  the  depravity  of  constitution,  or  substance,  of  the 


180  TRUE  RELIGION. 

body  or  mind.  Physical  depravity,  when  predicated 
of  the  body,  is  commonly  and  rightly  termed  disease. 
When  physical  depravity  is  predicated  of  mind,  it  is 
intended  that  the  powers  of  the  mind  either  in  sub- 
stance or  inconsequence  of  their  connection  with  and 
dependence  upon  the  body,  are  in  a  diseased,  degene- 
rate state,  so  that  the  healthy  action  of  those  powers 
is  not  sustained.  But  physical  depravity,  whether  of 
body  or  mind,  can  have  no  moral  character  in  itself, 
for  the  plain  reason  that  it  is  involuntary,  and  in  its 
nature  disease  and  not  sin.  Physical  depravity  can 
be  predicated  of  any  organized  substance.  It  is  a 
possible  state  of  every  organized  substance  or  being 
in  existence.  As  mind  in  connection  with  body, 
manifests  itself  through  it,  acts  by  means  of  it, 
and  is  dependent  upon  it,  it  is  plain  that  if  the 
body  becomes  diseased,  or  physically  depraved,  the 
mind  cannot  but  be  affected  by  this  state  of  the 
body,  through  and  by  means  of  which  it  acts.  The 
normal  manifestations  of  mind  cannot,  in  such  cases, 
be  reasonably  expected.  Physical  depravity  may  be 
predicated  of  all  the  powers  and  involuntary  states 
of  the  mind,  of  the  intelligence,  of  the  sensibility, 
and  of  the  faculty  of  the  will.  That  is,  the  actings 
and  states  of  the  intelligence  may  become  disordered, 
depraved,  deranged,  or  fallen  from  the  state  of  integ- 
rity and  healthiness.  In  this  way  the  sensibility,  or 
feeling  department  of  the  mind,  may  be  sadly  and 
physically  depraved.  The  appetites  and  passions, 
the  desires  and  cravings,  the  antipathies  and  repel- 
lencies  of  the  feelings,  fall  into  great  disorder  and 
anarchy.     Numerous  artificial  appetites  are  generat- 


TRUE  RELIGI05T.  181 

ed;  and  the  whole  sensibility  becomes  a  chaos  of  con- 
flicting and  clamorous  desires,  emotions  and  passions. 
And  this  condition  is  commonly   owing  to   the  state 
of  the  nervous  system  with  which  it  is  connected, 
through  and  by  which  it   manifests  itself.     Thus  it 
appears  that  the  human  body  is  in  a  state  of  phys- 
ical depravity,  and  the  human  mind  also  manifests 
human    depravity.     But    such    hereditary    depravity 
as    this,    transmitted    from    Adam    as    well   as   from 
our     immediate      parentage      with     no     voluntary 
choice    of   our    own,  can   have    no  moral   character 
in    our    earliest    infancy,    or    be    absolutely    sinful, 
however    much  it  may    predispose    us   to  the   com- 
mission   of   sin.     For    we    cannot   rationally  believe 
that    Adam    made    his    posterity    sinners,    by   trans- 
ferring to  them  the  guilt  of   his   first  transgression. 
*^  Guilt  is    a  personal  thing,    which  belongs  to    him 
alone  who  does  a  sinful  action."     The  guilt  of  any 
action  can  no  more  be  transferred  from  the  agent  to 
another  person,  than  the  action  itself.     Adam  could 
not  transfer  his  first  act  of  disobedience  to  his  pos- 
terity ;  and  if  he  could  not  transfer  the  act  itself,  it  is 
equally  evident  that  he  could  not  transfer  the  guilt  of 
it.     As  he  could  not  have  made  himself  guilty  of  eat- 
ing of  the  forbidden  fruit  without  choosing  to  eat  of 
it,  so  he  could  not  make  his  posterity  guilty  of  eat- 
ing of  the  forbidden  fruit  without  their  choosing  to 
do  the  same  action.     But  we  know   that  he   never 
made  them  choose  to  commit  his  first  sin;  and  there- 
fore he  could  not  bring  them  under  the  guilt  of  his 
first  transgression.     It  was  as  much  out  of  the  power 
of  Adam  to  transfer  his  owm  personal   guilt  to   his 
16 


182  TRUE  RELIGION". 

posterity,  as  it  is  now  out  of  the  power  of  any  other 
parent  to  transfer  his  own  personal  guilt  to  his  chil- 
dren. It  seems  obvious  that  even  the  Supreme  Be- 
ing, in  His  righteous  sovereignty,  could  not  consist- 
ently transfer  the  guilt  of  Adam's  sin  to  his  posterity. 
And  no  constitution  which  He  could  make  could 
render  such  a  mode  of  conduct  consistent  with  His 
moral  rectitude.  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  All  the 
Earth  do  right?  Shall  He,  therefore,  transfer  the 
guilt  of  the  father  to  the  son?  or  shall  He  punish  the 
son  for  the  father's  sin  ?  No  !  "  The  soul  that  sin- 
neth,  it  shall  die,"  for  its  own  iniquity.  But  here  I 
observe  that  moral  depravity  is  essentially  distinct 
from  physical  depravity.  It  is  synonymous  with 
real  sinfulness.  And  sin  we  know  is  any  want  of 
conformity  to,  or  transgression  of,  the  divine  law. 
Moral  depravity  is  the  depravity  of  free  will,  not  of 
the  faculty  itself,  but  of  its  free  action.  It  consists 
in  a  violation  of  the  moral  law.  Depravity  of  the 
will,  as  a  faculty,  is  or  would  be  physical,  and  not 
moral  depravity.  It  would  be  depravity  of  substance 
and  not  of  free  responsible  choice.  Moral  depravity 
is  depravity  of  choice.  It  is  a  choice  at  variance 
with  moral  law,  moral  right.  It  is  moral  depravity 
because  it  consists  in  a  violation  of  moral  law,  and 
because  it  has  moral  character.  Hence,  moral  de- 
pravity, or  sin,  consists  in  sinning,  and  nothing  else. 
It  consists  in  free,  voluntary  violations  of  moral  law, 
for  moral  law  legislates  only  over  free,  intelligent 
choices.  There  is,  therefore,  no  morally  corrupt  na- 
ture, distinct  from  free,  voluntary,  sinful  exercises. 
Adam  had  no  such  nature,  and   therefore  could  con- 


TRUE  RELIGION.  183 

'vey  no  such  nature  to  bis  posterity.  But  even  sup- 
;  posing  that  he  really  had  a  morally  corrupt  nature, 
distinct  from  his  free,  voluntary  sinful  exercises,  it 
must  have  belonged  to  his  soul  and  not  to  his  body. 
And  if  it  belonged  to  his  soul  he  could  not  convey  it 
to  his  posterity,  who  derive  their  soul's  immediately 
from  the  fountain  of  being.  God  is  the  father  of  our 
spirits.  The  soul  is  not  transmitted  from  father  to 
son  by  natural  generation.  The  soul  is  spiritual,  and 
':  what  is  spiritual  is  indivisible  ;  and  what  is  indivisi- 
;  4}le  is  incapable  of  propagation.  Now  if  with  such 
"  plain  statements  and  facts  in  mind,  showing  the  es- 
sential difference  between  depravity  and  sin,  or  phys- 
ical and  moral  depravity,  any  person  shall  still  be- 
lieve in  constitutional  and  native  sinfulness  of  the 
substance  of  the  human  soul  before  its  voluntary 
wrong  choices,  it  is  not  reasonable  to  expect  that  he 
ever  will  be  a  believer  in  the  highest  practical  piety,  or 
in  entire  consecration,  or  in  perfectly  acceptable  obe- 
dience to  the  divine  law  for  an  hour,  or  a  day,  or  a 
month.  Nor  in  the  statement  '^  If  there  be  first  a 
willing  mind,  it  is  accepted  according  to  that  a  man 
hath,  and  not  according  to  that  he  hath  not." 

(10)    SIN   VOLUNTARY. 

The  voluntary  indulgence  of  vicious  thoughts  or  a 
voluntary  choice  to  do  wrong,  or  voluntary  ne- 
glect to  do  right,  only  can  be  sinful,  as  all  actual  sin 
must  be  voluntary.  For  all  sin  comprehensively  ex- 
pressed, is  any  want  of  conformity  unto  or  transgres- 
sion of  the  law  of  God.  Such  is  the  teaching  of  God 
himself.     ''  All  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the 


184  TRUE  RELIGION. 

glory  of  God."  "  Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law." 
"For  if  there  be  first  a  willing  mind,  it  is  accepted 
according  to  that  a  man  hath,  and  not  according  to 
that  he  hath  not.'' 

(11)    MISTAKES    NOT    SINFUL. 

And  it  must  be  understood  that  mistakes  which 
may  occur  in  connection  with  the  most  fair-minded 
and  industrious  pursuit  of  all  accessible  light  in  favor 
of  the  right  and  of  duty,  cannot  he  properly  consid- 
ered as  positively  sinful. 

(12)    INTENTION, 

It  is  the  wrong  motive  and  evil  intention  which 
constitute  the  essential  wickedness  of  any  mental 
determination  or  outward  act.  A  truly  benevolent 
and  conscientious  intention  cannot  be  sinful  in  the 
sight  of  the  "Searcher  of  hearts."  ''  For  as  a  man 
thinketh  in  his  heart  so  is  he."  The  Christian's  in- 
tention to  please  his  Heavenly  Father  renders  his 
moral  acts  holy.  And  a  right  and  benevolent  inten- 
tion must  control  the  whole  life  so  that  he  may  be 
free  from  sin.  For  it  is  obvious  that  an  obedient 
intention  renders  an  act  holy  in  the  sight  of  God. 
It  is  the  test  of  its  moral  character.  Says  President 
Wayland,  "  In  a  deliberate  action  four  distinct  ele- 
ments may  be  commonly  observed.     These  are: 

First — The  outward  act,  as  when  I  put  money  into 
the  hands  of  another. 

Second — The  conception  of  this  act,  of  which  the 
external  performance  is  the  mere  bodying  forth. 


TRUE  RELIGION.  185 

Third — The  resolution   to    carry    that   conception 
into  effect. 

Fourth — The  intention  or  design    with    which    all 
this  is  done. 

Now  the  moral  quality  does  not  belong  to  the  ex- 
ternal  act;  for  the  same  external  act  may  be  per- 
formed by  two  men,  while  its  moral  character  is,  in 
the  two  cases  entirely  dissimilar.  Nor  does  it  belong 
to  the  conception  of  the  act,  nor  to  the  resolution  to 
carry  that  conception  into  effect,  for  the  resolution 
to  perform  an  action  can  have  no  other  character 
than  that  of  the  action  itself.  It  must,  then,  reside 
in  the  intention.  That  such  is  the  fact  may  be  illus- 
trated by  an  example  :  A.  and  B.  both  give  to  C.  a 
piece  of  money.  They  both  conceived  of  this  action 
before  they  performed  it  They  both  resolved  to  do 
precisely  what  they  did.  In  all  this  both  actions 
coincide.  A.  however  gave  it  to  C.  with  the  inten- 
tion of  procuring  the  murder  of  a  friend;  B.  with 
the  intention  of  relieving  a  family  in  distress.  It  is 
evident  that  in  this  case,  the  intention  gives  to  the 
action  its  character,  as  right  and  wrong.  By  refer- 
ence to  the  intention,  we  inculpate  or  exculpate 
others,  or  ourselves,  without  any  respect  to  the  hap- 
piness or  misery  actually  produced.  Let  the  result 
of  an  action  be  what  it  may,  we  hold  a  man  guilty, 
simply  on  the  ground  of  intention,  or  on  the  same 
ground  we  hold  him  innocent.  Thus  also  of  our- 
selves. We  are  conscious  of  guilt  or  innocence,  not 
from  the  result  of  an  action,  but  from  the  intention 
by  which  we  were  actuated."  "  For  as  a  man  think- 
eth  in  his  heart,  so  is  he."  This  is  the  moral  test  of 
♦16 


186  TRUE   RELIGION. 

his    actions.      Therefore,  "  keep  thy  heart  with    all  ' 
diligence,  for  out  of  it  are    the  issues  of  life."     And 
the  supreme  ultimate  motive    determines    the    moral 
act  to  be  absolutely  holy  or  sinful." 

^  (13)      MORAL   ACTIONS  SIMPLE — NOT  MIXED. 

(ABSTRACT.)  ', 

In  order  that  a  man  may  cease  from  voluntarily  sin- 
ning for  a  moment,  or  a  day,  the  simplicity  of  the  na- 
ture of  every  specific  volition  must  be  admitted. 
That  each  action  involving  moral  character,  must  be 
perfectly  holy  or  perfectly  sinful.  Eight  action  is 
impartial  benevolent  action,  including  our  own  wel- 
fare, according  to  its  value  in  our  relations  both  to 
God  and  our  fellow-men.  Wrong  action  is  unrea- 
sonable, selfish  action,  involving  a  disregard  for 
the  authority  and  claims  of  God  and  the  reasonable 
and  just  rights  of  our  race.  Therefore  a  sinner,  in 
order  to  be  a  Christian,  must  totally  abandon  his  na- 
tive selfishness,  and  choose  to  seek  supremely  the 
general  good.  Hence  it  is  obvious  that  these  oppo- 
site choices  of  supreme  selfishness  and  supreme  be- 
nevolence, cannot  co-exist  and  be  operative  in  the 
same  person  at  the  same  time  in  the  same  sense. 
''The  co-existence  of  sin  and  holiness,  or  of  two  oppo- 
site moral  states,  is  impossible."  "  No  man  can  serve 
two  masters:  for  either  he  will  hate  the  one  and  love 
the  other,  or  else  he  will  hold  to  the  one  and  despise 
the  other.  Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon." 
By  this  is  not  meant  that  no  man  can  serve  two  mas- 
ters at  different  times.     For  Adam,   once  the  servant 


TRUE  RELIGION.  187 

of  God,  became  a  sinner,  and  for  aught  we  know  re- 
pented, and  again  became  the  servant  of  God.  But 
two  opposite  intentions,  both  to  serve  God  and  diso- 
bey Him,  cannot  co-exist.  Therefore  it  is  impossible 
for  a  moral  action  to  be  mixed  as  the  product  of  two 
opposing  motives,  both  good  and  bad.  "  Whosoever 
shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in  one 
point,  he  is  guilty  of  all."  Offending  in  one  point,  is 
breaking  one  moral  precept.  What  is  the  ground  of 
the  assertion,  that  this  is  breaking  the  whole  law? 
This,  manifestly  :  '^  The  law  is  a  unity,  the  one  im- 
partial demand  of  reason — however  multiform  in  its 
expression,  however  varied  in  its  application.  The 
will  is  an  integral  unit,  one  and  all  in  every  inten- 
tion/' It  must  then  be  wholly  co-incident  with 
reason's  law,  or  wholly  discordant  with  it,  whatever 
particular  precept  or  practical  application  of  the  law 
it  may  transgress  or  obey.  But  it  may  be  objected 
that  when  a  Christian  sins,  if  the  doctrine  of  the  sim- 
plicity of  moral  actions  be  true,  he  becomes  as  bad 
as  he  was  before  his  conversion,  and  worse  if  possi- 
ble, having  sinned  against  more  light.  He  therefore 
as  much  needs  a  second  conversion  as  he  did  the  first, 
and  this  we  should  think  would  be  less  likely  to  take 
place.  To  this  objection  it  may  be  replied  that  a 
Christian  is  one  who  knows  by  experience  the  love  of 
God,  the  blessedness  of  an  approving  conscience,  and 
the  consolation  of  the  Christian's  hope ;  and  when  he 
sins  will  be  in  a  condition  very  different  from  that  of 
one  who  has  never  experienced  these  things,  though 
during  the  time  of  his  transgression  he  may  be  equal- 
ly, or  if  you  please,  more  guilty. 


188  TRUE  RELIGION. 

Therefore  the  sin  of  the  Christian  involves  no  less 
guilt  than  that  of  impenitent  sinners,  who  have  never 
been  converted,  but  its  abandonment  is  more  sure,  or 
if  you  please,  it  is  certain. 

But  it  may  be  said  if  the  simplicity  of  moral  actions 
be  true,  a  man  might  be  a  Christian  and  a  sinner 
alternately  several  times  a  day.  But  by  this  objection 
it  is  merely  said  that  a  man  might  sin  and  repent 
several  times  a  day.  This  is  doubtless  true.  For 
continued  obedience  is  certainly  not  a  necessity  but 
an  imperative  duty  and  a  most  precious  privilege 
through  faith  in  Christ. 

In  moral  philosophy  we  read  that  "  moral  obliga- 
tion, merit,  demerit,  <fec.,  pertain  immediately  to  acts 
of  will,  or  voluntary  states  of  mind  only.  No  state  of 
the  physical  organization,  nor  of  the  intelligence,  or 
sensibility  can,  with  any  truth  or  propriety,  be  denom- 
inated a  moral  action.  Of  acts  of  will,  ultimate  in- 
tentions only  possess  a  moral  character,  or  can  prop- 
erly be  denominated  moral  actions.  The  question 
before  us  then  is  legitimately  reduced  to  this  one 
single  inquiry,  namely :  can  any  one  given  ulti- 
mate intention  be  of  a  mixed  moral  character ;  in 
other  words,  can  such  distinct,  contradictory  and  op- 
posite elements  as  sin  and  holiness,  selfishness  and 
benevolence,  voluntary  obedience  and  disobedience 
to  known  duty,  enter  into  one  and  the  same  ultimate 
act  of  will,  or  intention  ?  Can  contradictory  and 
opposite  elements  enter  into  one  and  the  same  ulti- 
mate intention  ?  To  this  question  I  answer,  no  ;  for 
the  following  reasons  : 

(a)   The  dogma  of  mixed  moral  action,  in  the  sense 


TRUE  RELIGION.  189 

now  under  consideration,  is  in  palpable  contradiction 
to  all  our  fundamental  conceptions  of  an  ultimate 
intention.  Such  intention  implies  not  only  the  elec- 
tion of  its  object  for  its  own  sake,  but  a  corresponding 
rejection  of  everything  of  an  opposite  nature.  Sup- 
pose the  question  is  before  my  mind,  shall  I  go  to 
this  place  or  that  ?  I  can  by  no  possibility  go  to  but 
one  of  the  places  named,  and  to  one  or  the  other  I 
must  go.  Now  a  determination  to  go  to  one  place 
implies  of  necessity  a  determination  not  to  go  to  the 
other.  The  same  does  and  must  hold  true  in  respect 
to  all  ultimate  intentions.  The  question  before  the 
mind  is  ;  shall  I,  for  example,  serve  God  or  mammon  ? 
A  determination  to  serve  one  implies  and  necessarily 
involves  a  corresponding  determination  not  to  serve 
the  other;  the  demands  of  each  being  directly  oppo- 
site and  contradictory  to  the  other.  An  ultimate  in- 
tention then  embracing  the  contradictory  and  opposite 
elements  of  voluntary  obedience  and  disobedience, 
would  imply,  in  one  and  the  same  act,  a  determina- 
tion to  serve  and  not  to  serve  God,  and  a  determina- 
tion not  to  serve  and  actually  to  serve  mammon. 
This  is  a  palpable  absurdity,  as  great  as  the  supposi- 
tion that  the  same  body  may  move  in  opposite  direc- 
tions at  one  and  the  same  time.  So  Edwards  himself 
affirms.  "  It  is  absurd,''  he  says,  "  to  suppose  the 
same  individual  will  to  oppose  itself  in  its  present 
act ;  or  the  present  choice  to  be  opposite  to  and 
resisting  present  choice;  as  absurd  as  it  is  to  talk  of 
two  contrary  motions  in  the  same  moving  body  at 
the  same  time." 

(6)    An  intention,  to  be  ultimate,  must  be  supreme, 


190  TRUE  RELIGION". 

that  is,  it  must  involve  the  supreme  preference  of  the 
mind.  The  supposition  of  two  distinct  and  ultimate 
intentions  in  the  mind  at  one  and  the  same  time,  or 
of  one  involving  the  contradictory  elements  under 
consideration,  which  would  in  fact  be  equivalent  to 
two,  implies  of  necessity  that  neither  is  supreme,  that 
is,  that  neither  or  both  together  are  in  reality  an  ulti- 
mate intention.  The  idea  of  two  such  intentions, 
then,  or  of  two  contradictory  elements  in  one  and  the 
same  intention,  implies  a  palpable  contradiction  and 
impossibility.  "  Christ  denies,"  says  Calvin,  "  that 
it  can  be  that  any  one  should  obey  God  and  his  flesh 
at  one  and  the  same  time/'  '^  The  supreme  affec- 
tions," says  Mr.  Barnes,  **  can  be  fixed  on  only  one 
object.  '  So,'  says  Jesus,  '  the  servant  of  God  cannot 
at  the  same  time  obey  Him  and  be  avaricious,  or  ?eek 
treasures  supremely  on  earth.'  " 

(c)  Nor  is  inspiration  silent  on  such  a  point.  Take 
a  single  passage  in  illustration  :  ^'  Whosoever  keep- 
eth  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offendeth  in  one  point,  he 
is  guilty  of  all."  The  obvious  meaning  of  this  pas- 
sage is  this:  If  all  the  particular  volitions  or  exter- 
nal acts  of  an  individual  are  in  harmony  with  the  law 
of  God,  with  one  exception,  that  only  being  in  oppo- 
sition  to  it,  this  demonstrates  the  fact,  that  the  entire 
ultimate  intention  of  the  agent  from  which  the  whole 
series  proceeds  is  in  opposition  to  the  law,  and  con- 
sequently, that  the  whole  moral  state  of  the  individ- 
ual is  sinful  and  totally  so.  No  meaning  attaches  to 
this  passage  if  this  is  not  it.  The  same  doctrine  is 
manifestly  affirmed  by  our  Saviour  in  the  assertion  ; 
"  Whosoever    cometh    after   me    and   forsaketh    not 


TRUE  RELIGION,  1^1 


all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple."  The  ob- 
vious meaning  of  the  passage  is,  that  until  all  partic- 
ular acts  are  in  full  harmony  with  the  known  will  of 

I  Christ,  no  ultimate  intention,  such  as  is  requisite  to 
discipleship,  that  is,  no  intention  morally   right,  can 

jl     possibly  exist. 

«  The  dogma  under  consideration  is  alike  opposed 
to  the  positive  teachings  of  reason  and  revelation 
both.  The  following  are  the  conclusions  necessarily 
-  resulting  from  the  doctrine  above  established.  When 
all  the  voluntary  acts  and  states  of  a  moral  agent  are 
in  all  respects  what  they  are  required  to  be,  he  stands 
perfect  and  complete  in  his  obedience  to  the  moral 
law,  as  far  as  present  duty  is  concerned.  No  blame 
attaches  to  him  for  any  states  of  the  physical  system 
or  intelligence,  or  sensibility,  unavoidably  co-existing 
with  voluntary  obedience  to  the  universal  voice  of 
duty.  No  moral  agent  is  at  any  moment  virtuous  at 
all,  whose  voluntary  acts  and  states  are  not  for  the 
time  being  in  full  harmony  with  all  known  duty,  in 
other  words,  with  all  forms  of  obligation  really  then 
resting  upon  him.  There  is  no  avoiding  this  conclu- 
sion. 

(14)   IF   PERFECT   KNOWLEDGE  IS  NECESSARY,   ENTIRE  SANC- 
TIFICATION   IS  IMPOSSIBLE. 

If  therefore,  in  order  to  be  sanctified  wholly,  and 
cease  from  sin  for  a  single  day,  a  short-sighted  and 
finite  being  must  be  infallible  in  his  moral  judgment, 
and  such  an  experience  must  be  forever  impossible  on 
earth,  or  in  the  perfect  society  and  holiness  of 
heaven. 


192  TRUE   RELIGION. 

(15)    DIVINE    PRESERVATION. 

Now  in  order  that  God  may  preserve  the  justified 
Christian  from  falling  into  final  condemnation,  ''  he 
must  believe  with  the  heart  unto  righteousness." 
And  in  order  that  the  sanctified  Christian  may  be 
preserved  from  yielding  to  the  power  of  temptation 
for  a  day,  or  year,  or  series  of  years,  he  must  con- 
tinually trust  in  God's  proffered  grace  "  to  keep  him 
in  all  his  ways,"  so  that  it  may  become  more  and 
more  the  prevailing  habit  of  his  whole  life  to  live 
constantly  in  a  state,  not  only  of  entire,  but  continu- 
ous sanctification.  And  if  through  any  neglect  of 
watchfulness  against  the  sudden  and  unanticipated 
assaults  of  special  temptation,  and  the  intermission  of 
his  strength  of  faith  in  Christ's  interposition  and  aid, 
he  should  be  momentarily  overcome  by  the  adversa- 
ry, he  will  instantly  repent,  so  that  sin  shall  be  the 
exception  and  not,  as  is  too  frequently  the  case,  the 
prevailing  rule  of  life. 

(16)    ABILITY    COMMENSURATE    WITH    OBLIGATION. 

The  truly  sanctified  Christian  must  love  and  obey 
God  continually,  with  all  his  present  powers  of  body 
and  mind.  **  For  if  there  be  first  a  willing  mind,  it  is 
accepted  according  to  that  a  man  hath,  and  not  ac- 
cording to  that  he  hath  not." 

As  Mr.  Barnes,  the  commentator,  ver}^  sensibly  ob- 
serves, "  If  the  heart  is  in  it,  then  the  offering  will  be 
acceptable  to  God,  whether  you  be  able  to  give  much 
or  little,  A  willing  mind  is  the  first  consideration. 
In  such  a  case  God  will  approve  of  the  gift,  and  will 


TRUE  RELIGION".  193 

receive  it  favorably.  A  man  is  not  required  to  give 
what  he  has  not.  His  obligation  is  proportioned  to 
his  ability.  The  great  and  obviously  just  and  equal 
principle  stated  in  the  verse  here  quoted,  was  origin- 
ally applied  by  Paul,  to  the  duty  of  giving  alms.  But 
it  is  equally  true  and  just  as  applied  to  all  the  duties 
which  we  owe  to  God.  He  demands  first,  a  willing 
mind,  a  heart  disposed  to  yield  obedience.  He 
claims  that  our  service  should  be  voluntary  and  sin- 
cere, and  that  we  should  make  an  unreserved  conse- 
cration of  what  we  have.  Secondly,  he  demands 
only  what  we  have  power  to  render.  He  requires  a 
service  strictly  according  to  our  ability,  and  to  be 
measured  by  that.  He  demands  no  more  than  our 
powers  are  fitted  to  produce  ;  no  more  than  we  are 
able  to  render.  Our  obligations  in  all  cases  are  lim- 
ited by  our  ability.  This  is  obviously  the  rule  of 
equity,  and  this  is  all  that  is  anywhere  demanded  in 
the  Bible — and  this  is  everywhere  demanded.  Thus 
our  love  to  Him  is  to  be  in  proportion  to  our  ability, 

-  and  not  to  be  graduated  by  the  ability  of  angels  or 
■  ,  other  beings.  '  And  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  ah  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and 
with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy  strength.'  The 
love  is  to  be  commensurate  with  ability.  So  of  re- 
pentence,  faith,  and  obedience,  in  any  form.  None 
but  a  tyrant  ever  demands  more  than  can  be  ren- 
dered, and  to  demand  more  is  the  appropriate  de- 
scription of  a  tyrant,  and  cannot  pertain  to  the  ever 
blessed  God.  Therefore,  '  if  any  man  minister  let 
him  do  it  as  of  the  ability  which  God  giveth.'     No 

.  one  is  bound  to  go  beyond  this  ability,  every  one  is 
required  to  come  up  to  it.''  17 


194  TRUE  RELIGION. 

(17)    REQUIREMENT    OF    THE    LAW. 

"  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  And  this  law 
requires  the  truly  sanctified  Christian  to  abstain 
entirely  from  everything  which  he  knows  to  be  wrong 
in  thought,  word  or  deed.  And  as  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  divine  truth  are  the  means  used  in  sanctification, 
he  must  heartily  believe  the  truth,  and  in  the  power 
and  willingness  of  Jesus  to  give  him  the  victory  over 
temptation,  and  surrender  his  whole  being  to  the 
Holy  Spirit,  to  be  continuously  moulded  into  the  very 
image  of  his  Divine  Master.  His  will  must  be  in  con- 
stant subjection  to  God's  will,  not  willing  what  he 
knows  to  be  wrong,  or  contrary  to  Bible  truth.  In 
cases  of  doubt  about  the  divine  will,  he  must  not  and 
will  not  follow  his  own  natural  inclinations,  but 
promptly  obey  the  will  of  Jesus,  in  proportion  as  duty 
may  be  revealed  to  him,  in  God's  word  or  providence. 

(18)     SANCTIFIED    AFFLICTIONS. 

Even  in  aflflictions  he  must  be  entirely  and  cheer- 
fully submissive  ;  "  for  the  Lord  our  God  is  righteous 
in  all  His  works  which  He  doeth."  And  we  know 
that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God,  to  them  who  are  called  according  to  His 
purpose."  Therefore  the  submissive  Christian  says 
to  God,  "  not  as  I  will,  but  as  Thou  wilt.'' 

"  What  if  poor  sinners  count  my  grief. 
The  sign  of  an  unchastened  will, 
He  who  can  give  my  soul  relief. 
Knows  that  I'm  submissive  still. 
Henceforth  my  own  desire  shall  be, 


TRUE  RELIGION.  195 

That  He  who  knows  the  best  should  choose  for  me ; 
And  so,  whatever  His  love  sees  good  to  send, 
I'll  trust  its  best,  because  He  knows  the  end." 

'^  Behold,  I  have  refined  thee/'  says  God,  "  but  not 
with  silv^er.  I  have  chosen  thee  in  the  furnace  of 
affliction."  In  such  experiences  the  growing  Christian 
is  more  desirous  that  his  afflictions  should  have  a 
sanctifying  influence  on  him  than  that  they  should  be 
removed.  Such  a  Christian  is  submissive,  and  hopes 
in  the  darkest  afflictions.  '^  And  every  man  that  hath 
this  hope  in  him  purifieth  himself  even  as  He  is  pure." 
He  opens  the  shutters  of  the  dark  chambers  of  his 
soul  and  lets  in  the  three  ineffable  rays  of  the  sun  of 
righteousness  with  healing  in  his  wings;  Gods  per- 
fect love,  knowledge  and  power.  He  knows  that 
the  heavens  will  fall,  before,  with  such  attributes. 
He  can  harm  a  hair  of  His  children's  heads.  These 
three  rays  together,  form  this  blessed  pencil  of  light. 
"  He  hath  done  all  things  well." 

"  To  have  each  day  the  things  I  wish. 
Lord,  seemeth  best  to  me ! 
But  not  to  have  some  things  I  wish, 
Lord  seemeth  best  to  Thee. 
Henceforth  then  let  '  thy  will  be  done,' 
Though  mine,  O  God,  be  crossed ; 
Myself  in  Thee  all  lost!" 

(19)  errors  to  be  avoided, 
(abstract.) 

"  Before  entering  upon  the  direct  proof  of  the  at- 
tainabilitv  of  entire  sanctification  in  this  life,  it  seems 


196  TRUE   RELIGION.    . 

expedient  to  guard  seekers  against  some  common 
mistakes.  It  is  probable  that  all  intelligent  Christians 
believe,  as  a  writer  of  experience  has  observed,  in  the 
following  extracts:  "That  the  possibilities  of  Christian 
attainment  rise  continually  higher  and  higher,  above 
.any  supposable  point  he  may  have  reached,  so  long 
as  his  mental  faculties  retain  their  normal  activity, 
and  he  has  God's  word  before  him.  God's  provi- 
dences aU  round  about  him,  and  God's  spirit  within 
him,  there  will  be  yet  Alps  on  Alps  rising  ever  be- 
fore, up  which  he  may  be  continually  ascending;" 
'but  the  common  term,  higher  life,  seems  to  involve 
some  mistakes  which  should  be  avoided. 

It  is  maintained  that  the  "lower  life"  begins  with 
a  first  conversion,  the  higher  with  a  second  conver- 
sion, analogous  to  the  first,  yet  quite  unlike  it.  The 
lower  commences  with  regeneration  ;  the  higher  with 
a  special  form  and  peculiar  measure  of  sanctilication. 
The  lower  begins  with  faith  in  Christ  for  pardon  ;  the 
higher  makes  utmost  account  of  its  own  commencing 
act  of  "faith  for  the  blessing''  of  a  cleansed  heart. 
Such  ideas  seem  in  some  measure  erroneous.  The 
Scriptures  clearly  teach  what  Christain  attainment 
is,  and  its  possibilities  in  the  present  life. 

A  new  creation ;  old  things  are  passed  away;  all 
things  become  new,  the  promise  fulfilled.  '^  I  will  put 
My  spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  My 
statutes,"  "abiding in  Christ,"  in  the  sense  of  branches 
abiding  in  the  vine,  bring  upon  its  life  currents,  lov- 
ing Christ  and  keeping  Elis  commandments,  and 
thereby  enjoying  His  manifested  presence,  love  and 
communion;  "  walking  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after 


TRUE  RELIGION.  197 

the  spirit,"  gaining  the  victory  over  the  world  through 
faith,  etc.,  etc. 

This  new  life  begins  with  repentance,  and  the  pur- 
posed forsaking  of  all  sin  ;  with  accepting  Jesus  as 
the  only  ground  of  pardon,  and  moreover  as  the 
promised  source  of  spiritual  strength  for  holy  living, 
and  with  a  free  consecration  of  all  to  God — a  conse- 
cration absolute,  unlimited,  to  be  carried  out  and  ap- 
plied to  the  utmost  extent  of  perceived  duty. 

The  term  sanctificaiion  may  fitly  be  used  in  a  sense 
somewhat  broader  than  the  term  consecration ;  the 
latter  being  usually,  perhaps  naturally,  limited  to  au 
act  of  the  will;  while  sanctification  may  (perhaps 
commonly  does)  include  the  adjustment  of  the  sensi- 
bilities— every  appetite,  passion,  impulse,  whether  of 
body  or  mind,  to  this  new  law  of  the  spiritual  life. 
So  understood  sanctification  involves  progress  in  at 
least  these  three  respects  :  (a)  progressive  knowledge 
of  God  and  duty,  (b)  progressive  adjustment  of  the 
sensibilities,  i.  e.  the  impulses,  propensities,  and  also 
the  habitudes  of  mind  and  body,  to  the  better  under- 
standing of  the  law  of  Christ,  and  to  the  demand  of 
the  spirit  of  full  consecration,  (c)  A  growing  con- 
firmation of  these  habitudes  of  the  whole  being,  re- 
sulting in  new  accessions  of  strength,  in  greater  safety 
against  lapsing,  and  in  general  in  a  growing  experi- 
ence in  this  new  life  unto  God. 

And  yet  in  some  measure  as  an  exception  to  this 
common  law  of  progress,  great  crisis  may  occur  in 
the  Christian  life. 

A  new  and  juster  view  of  Christ's  power  to  lift  the 
soul  into  victory,  through  faith,  may   bring  a  great 
*17 


198  TRUE   RELIGION. 

and  sudden  change  into  one's  experience,  memorable, 
perhaps  enduring.  There  were  obviously  such  sud- 
den experiences  in  the  great  Pentecostal  baptism  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  And  such  experiences  among  the 
early  Christians  gives  the  possibilities  of  every  con- 
vert from  that  day  to  this.  If  properly  taught  he 
may  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  in  precious  baptisms  at 
first,  and  may  retain  them  from  the  first  even  until 
death.  His  first  conversion  and  bis  second  would 
thus  become  one  and  the  same. 

The  nature  of  the  case  creates  no  necessity  for  a 
first  conversion  which  shall  lack  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit,  and  a  second  at  some  subsequent  day  which 
shall  bring  it.  He  may  have  both  of  them  at  once. 
Nothing  in  the  nature  either  of  the  human  soul  or  the 
spirits  functions,  forbids  this^  and  requires  a  first  con- 
version without  this  baptism,  and  a  second  with  it. 
But  it  seems  to  be  a  great  and  dangerous  error  to 
maintain  that  one  act  of  faith  can  introduce  the  soul 
into  such  full  sanctification,  and  guarantee  its  contin- 
uance, either  permanently  or  for  an  indefinite  time. 
For  no  one  moral  act  can  determine  w^ith  absolute 
certainty  all  subsequent  moral  acts.  It  is  also  un- 
scriptural  and  dangerous  to  substitute  one  act  of  faith 
for  a  whole  life  of  faith  ;  one  great  act  of  prayer  ;  one 
effort  of  the  will,  however  intense,  however  mighty, 
for  a  whole  life  of  efforts. 

(20)  HIGHEST  PRACTICAL  PIETY  ATTAINABLE  IN   THIS  LIFE. 

Now  if  the  preceding  explanations  concerning 
sanctification  and  the  subjects  related  to  it  be  kept 
in  mind,  it  will  be  readily  perceived  that   in  advocat- 


TRUE  RELIGION.  199 

;,  ingthe  following  proposition,  we  advocate  only  the 
attainability  of  such  a  type  of  piety  as  is  both  reason- 
able and  practical.  It  will  be  understood  that  in 
maintaining  the  attainability  of  entire  sanctitication 
in  this  life,  we  advocate  merely  the  attainment  of 
such  a  high  degree  of  piety  as  has  been  attained,  and 
such  as  all  Christians  may  attain,  by  faith  in  Christ  in 
the  present  life.  In  other  words,  we  regard  the 
phrases  entire  sanctification  in  this  life,  and  the 
highest  practical  piety,  as  synonymous  phrases.  And 
if  any  reader  of  this  treatise  should  associate  in  his 
mind  with  the  doctrine  of  entire  sanctification  in  this 
life,  either  angelic  perfection  or  human  infallibility, 
it  is  not  the  writer's  meaning.  And  it  is  only  on  the 
admission  of  the  correctness  of  the  preceding  expla- 
nations concerning  this  scriptural  doctrine,  that  we 
can  expect  to  establish  its  truthfulness.  And  it  can- 
not be  expected  that  men  can  infallibly  decide  for 
each  other  in  reference  to  their  personal  attainments, 
because  they  do  not  always  agree  in  reference  to 
what  acts  are  sinful  and  what  are  innocent. 

(21)    PROPOSITION. 

But  assuming  that  all  honest  seekers  for  the  high- 
est attainments  in  practical  piety  shall  accept  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  preceding  definitions  and  explana- 
tions, I  maintain  in  the  guarded  language  of  one  of 
its  ablest  advocates,  the  following  proposition  : 

"  Entire  sanctification  in  this  life  is  attainable  in 
such  a  sense  that  all  Christians  should  earnestly  seek 
it,  with  the  rational  expectation  of  attaining  it.'^ 

By  this  I  mean  that  all  Christians  should  obey  God 


200  TRUE  RELIGION. 

in  becoming  as  holy  as  possible  in  this  life,  and  that 
such  piety  is  all  that  the  claims  of  God's  law  require. 
Now  it  is  the  common  belief  of  intelligent  and  de- 
voted Christians  that  we  should  aim  to  attain  entire 
sanctification  in  this  life,  although  it  is  unieasonable 
(in  their  opinion)  to  expect  its  attainment.  But 
others  believe  that  we  should  aim  at  it,  with  the 
rational  expectation  of  attaining  it  in  the  present  life. 
All  believe  that  we  must  attain  it,  before  we  enter 
heaven.  But  as  death  does  not  change  moral  char- 
acter, we  should  trust  in  the  blood  of  the  atonement 
here  to  cleanse  us  from  all  sin. 

(22)  PROOF   OF   ATTAINMENT. 

If  it  ever  has  been  attained,  it  may  be  attained  again. 
^'Noah  was  a  just  man,  and  perfect  in  his  generation." 
"  He  walked  with  God."  He  attained  a  complete 
Christian  character.  He  was  entirely  sanctified  in 
this  life.  Said  the  inspired  apostle  to  the  Romans, 
*'  But  now  being  made  free  from  sin,  and  become  ser- 
vants to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness.  For 
when  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin,  ye  were  free  from 
righteousness.''  Before  conversion,  they  were  in  a 
state  of  entire  sinfulness.  Afterwards,  they  attained 
a  state  of  entire  freedom  from  it.  The  terms  free- 
dom from  sin  and  freedom  from  righteousness,  are 
not  limited.  Before  conversion  they  had  no  holiness. 
At  the  time  of  conversion,  as  ''  the  blood  of  Christ 
cleansed  them  from  all  unrighteousness,"  they  were 
entirely  freed  from  sin  for  the  time  being.  And  be-  ^ 
ing  made  free  from  sin,  they  were  delivered  from  its 
dominion,  and  from  bondage  to  it,  in  the  same  sense 


TRUE  RELIGION.  201 

and  as  absolutely,  as  before  conversion  they  were 
free  from  righteousness.  This  service  of  entire  con- 
secration ensures  holiness  in  this  life,  as  really  and 
entirely  as  consecration  to  worldliness  and  self-grati- 
fication did  sin.  Zechariah,  and  Elizabeth  also, 
^'  were  both  righteous  before  God,  walking  in  all  the 
commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  blame- 
less." These  words  refer  to  all  the  duties  of  religion 
which  were  made  known  to  them.  In  the  view  of 
the  "Searcher  of  Hearts,"  no  deficiency  could  be  found 
in  them.  They  were  strict  and  exact  in  all  things. 
At  heart  they  were  in  a  state  of  entire  holiness. 
Said  the  apostle  to  the  Philippians,  "  Let  us  therefore, 
as  many  as  be  perfect,  be  thus  minded." 

(23)   GOSPEL  PROVISIONS. 

Moreover,  we  are  encouraged  to  make  diligent  ef- 
forts to  obtain  this  same  blessing  through  faith,  in  view 
of  the  gospel  provisions.  Sanctification  is  as  much 
the  object  of  Christ's  atonement,  as  our  justification. 
He  came  to  save  us,  just  as  much  from  sin,  as  from 
its  penalty.  "  Thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus,  for  he 
shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins."  *'  Who  gave 
Himself  for  us,  that  He  might  redeem  us  from  all 
iniquity,  and  purify  unto  Himself  a  peculiar  people, 
zealous  of  good  works." 

(24)    PRAYERS    OP    JESUS    CHRIST. 

Furthermore,  we  are  encouraged  to  expect  success 
in  our  efforts  for  this  blessing,  by  the  prayers  of  Christ 
in  our  behalf.     "  Sanctify  them  through  Thy  truth," 


202  TRUE  RELIGION. 

prays  Our  Lord.  "I  pray  that  Thou  sbouldst  keep 
them  from  the  evil ;  that  is,  cleanse  them  from  sin, 
make  them  pure  in  heart  in  Thy  sight.  Keep  them 
from  the  power  of  temptation,  from  evil  thoughts, 
passions  and  wicked  desires — in  a  state  of  holiness." 

(25)    PRAYER    OF   PAUL. 

Also  the  Apostle  Paul  prayed  under  inspiration, 
not  for  the  sanctificatiori  of  Christians  at  death,  but 
in  this  life.  ''  The  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you 
wholly,  and  I  pray  God  your  whole  spirit,  and  body 
and  soul,  be  preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Faithful  is  he  that  calleth 
You,  who  also  will  do  it."  Here  the  apostle,  it 
seems,  "  either  offered  an  inspired  prayer  for  the 
death  of  Christians,  if  they  could  not  be  sanctified 
until  death,  or  else  he  offered  the  prayer  of  faith,  by 
the  assistance  and  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that 
they  might  be  completely  sanctified  in  every  part  of 
their  nature,  and  be  preserved  blameless  in  this  life." 
He  certainly  had  full  assurance  of  its  accomplish- 
ment, for  he  says,  "Faithful  is  he  that  calleth  You, 
who  also  will  do  it." 

As  Rev.  Mr.  Barnes  explains  this  passage,  '^  He 
prays,  '  Sanctify  you  wholly,'  in  every  part  complete- 
ly. He  prays  that  God  would  make  His  people  en- 
tirely holy.  And  in  this  he  recognizes  the  truth  that 
we  have  a  body ;  we  have  animal  life  and  instincts, 
in  common  with  the  inferior  creation  ;  and  we  have 
also  a  rational  and  immortal  soul.  The  soul  is  the 
vital  principle,  while  the  animal  life,  or  the  seat  of 
the  senses,  desires,  affections,  and  appetites,  we  have 


TRUE  RELIGION.  203 

in  common  with  other  animals.  The  mere  animal 
life  is  distinct  from  the  soul,  as  the  seat  of  conscience 
and  moral  agency.  Hence  it  is  the  duty  of  man  to 
bring  his  whole  nature  under  law,  or  so  control  it 
that  it  may  not  be  an  occasion  of  sin.  And  the  apos- 
tle prayed  that  Christians  might  become  entirely 
holy,  and  be  kept  from  transgression,  until  the  Lord 
Jesus  came  ;  that  is,  either  to  remove  them  by  death, 
or  to  wind  up  the  affairs  of  this  lower  world." 

God  is  faithful,  who  also  will  do  it,  as  he  has  be- 
gun a  work  of  grace  in  your  hearts,  you  may  depend 
on  His  faithfulness  to  complete  it. 

(26)    OBJECTIONS. 

But  in  other  portions  of  the  Scriptures  we  read, 
^'  There  is  not  a  just  man  upon  earth,  that  doeth  good 
and  sinneth  not."  '*  If  we  say  we  have  no  sin,  we 
deceive  ourselves  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  Cer- 
tainly, a  God  of  truth  cannot  contradict  Himself,  and 
he  has  said  of  some  Christians  "  Ye  are  dead  unto 
sin,  alive  unto  righteousness."  May  not  such  seem- 
ing contradictions  be  reconciled  by  applying  the  for- 
mer texts  to  all  unregenerate  men,  and  the  latter  to 
the  regenerate  ?  He  teaches  us  that  both  by  nature 
are  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  and  that  the  most 
holy  of  Christians,  as  well  as  the  worst  of  sinners, 
were  by  nature  children  of  wrath,"  and  that  "  he  that 
committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil."  *'  But  whosoever  is 
born  of  God,  doth  not  commit  sin,  for  His  seed  re- 
maineth  in  him,  and  he  cannot  sin  because  he  is  born 
of  God."  If  the  passages  which  state  the  universal 
sinfulness  of  men  apply   to    all   the    regenerate,   to 


204  TRUE  RELTGIOISr. 

whom  do  the  passages  apply  which  state  that  some 
are  sinners?  For  in  immediate  connection  with  the 
passage  which  states  "  If  we  say  we  have  no  sin  we 
deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us,"  it  reads, 
"  If  we  confess  our  sin,  He  is  faithful,  and  just  to  for- 
give us,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness." 
Of  course,  if  any  man  shall  say  he  has  not  sinned, 
and  does  not  need  the  blood  of  atonement,  he  is  mis- 
taken. It  seems  to  me  that  neither  class  of  these 
very  strong  passages  should  be  pressed  too  literally 
and  strictly,  without  reference  to  their  connection 
and  scope,  lest  they  involve  the  Scriptures  in  irrecon- 
cilable contradiction  and  absurdity.  When  it  reads 
that  the  new-born  soul  cannot  sin,  it  merely  means 
that  having  passed  from  a  state  of  habitual  rebellion 
against  the  divine  government,  sin  and  rebellion  are 
inconsistent  with  his  new. disposition  and  rule  of  life, 
contrary  to  his  habitual  designs,  to  follow  the 
leadings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  striving  with  single- 
ness of  aim  to  please  his  Heavenly  Father  in  all 
things.  11,  for  instance,  a  merchant  says  he  cannot 
take  a  reduced  price  for  his  merchandise,  I  under- 
stand him  to  inean  that  he  cannot  consistently,  with 
his  disposition  to  trade,  so  as  to  promote  his  business 
interests.  I  understand  that  it  is  in  reality  possible 
for  him  to  do  it,  but  it  would  be  unreasonable. 
Hence  I  do  not  suppose  that  a  justified  or  sanctified 
Christian  can  sacrifice  his  free  agency,  so  as  to  be  in- 
capable of  yielding  to  temptation.  On  a  certain  oc- 
casion, when  the  apostle  was  considering  the  doctrine 
of  future  resurrection,  he  says  in  reference  to  him- 
self: '*  Not  as  though  1  had  already  attained,  either 


TRUE  RELIGION.  205 

were  already  perfect,  I  press  toward  the  mark  for 
the  prize;"  he  may  have  meant  also  that  he  had  not 
attained  a  state  of  freedom  from  sin.  But  he  says  to 
his  brethren,  in  this  immediate  connection;  ^'let  us 
therefore,  as  many  as  be  perfect,  be  thus  minded." 
Intimating  that  some  might  have  made  the  attainment 
of  a  more  complete  Christian  character  than  those  who 
were  merely  justified. 

(27)    PAUL'S   EXPERIENCE. 

After  his  own  first  radical  conversion  and  complete 
justification,  he  seems  to  have  been  involved  in  a 
fearful  conflict  with  temptation,  and  to  have  some 
times  fallen  under  its  fearful  power ;  "  for  that  which 
I  do,  I  allow  not,  but  what  I  hate,  that  I  do."  The 
strength  of  natural  passion  overcame  him  in  un- 
guarded circumstances.  The  power  of  the  former 
habits  of  sin  before  conversion  kept  up  a  fearful  and 
dreadful  conflict  with  conscience,  and  the  powders  of 
darkness  brought  him  under  legal  bondage.  After- 
ward having  said,  "  we  know  the  law  is  spiritual," 
'^  for  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward 
man,"  he  seems  to  have  had  a  new  and  refreshing 
experience  of  the  power  of  divine  grace  in  delivering 
him  from  his  bondage  under  the  adversary.  He  ex- 
claims, "  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who  shall  de- 
liver me  from  the  body  of  this  death?  'I  thank  God 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.'  There  is  therefore 
now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the 
spirit."  In  this  new  and  second  experience,  the  Gos- 
pel has  accomplished  a  complete  deliverance,  and 
18 


206  TRUE  RELIGION. 

gives  the  captive  in  sin  a  glorious  and  complete 
triumph  over  the  enslaving  power  of  temptation  and 
furnishes  abiding  peace  and  holiness. 

(28)    THE   TRUSTFUL     FORTIFIED. 

Therefore  if  the  scriptures  teach  that  some  Chris- 
tians have  gained  not  only  repeated,  but  continuous 
victories  over  temptation,  may  not  all  Christians  who 
are  aiming  to  follow  Him  fully  ''  who  did  no  sin," 
entertain  the  rational  hope  of  success  in  attaining 
this  blessing  in  the  present  life,  by  faith  and  not  by 
works?  Has  not  God  assured  such  as  trust  in  Him 
with  sufficient  confidence,  that  he  is  ready  to  fortify 
them  against  the  three  great  sources  of  temptation ; 
the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil?  ^'This  is  the  victory 
that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith."  "  Walk 
in  the  spirit  and  ye  shall  not  fulfill  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh."  "Above  all  taking  the  shield  of  faith,  whereby 
ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the 
wicked.'  "And  the  God  of  peace  shall  bruise  Satan 
under  your  feet  shortly."  "  Now  our  Lord  is  able  to 
keep  you  from  falling,  and  to  present  you  faultless 
before  the  presence  of  His  glory  with  exceeding  joy." 
And  can  it  be  possible  that  Christians  are  unreason- 
able in  fully  trusting  His  ability  and  willingness  to 
fulfill  His  offers  and  pledges  to  the  utmost  ?  '^ Having 
therefore  these  promises,  dearly  beloved,  let  us  cleanse 
ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit, 
perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God."  '^  Let  us  not 
be  weary  in  well  doing,  for  in  due  season  we  shall 
reap  if  we  faint  not."  Let  us  not  defer  this  invaluable 
attainment  of  grace  through  faith,  for  the  weakness, 


TRUE  RELIGION.  207 

the  delirium,  the  expiring  agonies  of  dissolving 
nature,  when  flesh  and  heart  shall  fail,  and  be  inca- 
pable of  purifying  our  moral  and  religious  characters. 

(29)    MEANS   OP   ATTAINMENT. 

Therefore  let  us  imitate  strictly  and  constantly  our 
Divine  Redeemer,  "  who  left  us  an  example,  that  we 
should  follow  His  steps."  In  so  doing  we  must  be 
entirely  consecrated  to  the  same  benevolent  ends 
which  controlled  Him  in  life  and  in  death,  and  prose- 
cute them  with  the  same  purity  of  intention,  in  our 
humble  circumstances  of  weakness  and  temptation. 
"  If  therefore  thine  eye  be  single,  thy  whole  body 
shall  be  full  of  light."  We  must  have  His  spirit  of 
meekness,  resignation,  humility,  obedience,  devotion 
and  industry  in  doing  good.  We  must  habitually 
seek  for  grace  to  live  and  to  act  in  all  our  changing 
circumstances  and  spheres,  just  as  we  think  He  would 
act,  were  He  again  in  the  flesh,  in  our  places,  sur- 
rounded by  our  temptations.  In  this  way  we  shall 
be  ''  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory 
even  as  by  the  spirit  of  the  Lord."  We  must  attain 
entire  sanctifieation  in  this  life  by  repeated  and  con- 
tinued acts  of  faith.  For  sanctifieation  as  well  as 
justification  is  by  faith  and  not  by  works.  It  is  by 
faith  in  the  aids  of  divine  grace  and  not  by  works  of 
the  law. 

(30)    GOOD   RESOLUTIONS   AND   FAITH. 

Thus  we  shall  engage  in  the  daily  duties  of  life, 
with  the  fixed  purpose  of  fulfilling  them  perfectly  to  our 
utmost  ability  in  the  strength  of  our  covenant-keeping 


208  TRUE   RELIGION. 

God,  who  has  promised  to  make  us  victorious  over 
temptation,  and  render  us  ^'  more  than  conquerors 
through  Him  that  loved  us,  and  gave  Himself  for  us, 
that  He  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity."  Thus 
we  shall  lead  a  new  life,  avoiding  ostentation,  practic- 
ing charity  and  striving  in  every  way  to  lead  an 
upright  and  honest  life.  Thus  we  shall  find  it  even 
better  to  hope  than  to  faint,  knowing  that  good  inten- 
tions must  bear  fruit  in  holy  living,  and  that  we  have 
not  resolved  in  vain,  for  good  intentions  must  ever 
give  character  to  all  good  works.  We  must  expect 
to  overcome  each  temptation  by  specific  acts  of  faith 
in  our  Lord's  assistance,  for  *'  this  is  the  victory  that 
overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith."  We  must 
not  expect  by  one  single  act  of  faith  to  escape  forever 
the  warfare  with  temptation.  But  every  new  temp- 
tation will  demand  a  specific  act  of  faith  to  overcome 
such  temptation.  We  must  ever  in  this  life  "  watch 
and  pray  that  we  enter  not  into  temptation." 

(31)    TESTIMONY. 

And  are  not  all  Christians  who  enjoy  this  precious 
religious  experience,  who  are  conscious  that  such  is 
the  daily  intention  and  practice  of  their  lives,  with 
no  self-righteous  boasting  with  regard  to  their  gracious 
attainments,  knowing  their  fallibility  in  judging  of 
their  motives  and  experiences,  justified  in  confessing 
it  for  the  encouragement  of  all  who  may  be  earnestly 
seeking  the  blessing?  Is  it  not  highly  proper,  if  not 
an  imperative  duty,  under  such  circumstances,  to 
testify  in  all  humility  to  the  praise  of  divine  and  all- 
conquering   grace,    what   the    Lord    hath    done   for 


TRUE  RELIGION.  209 

them  ?  But  it  obviously  should  not  be  done  frequent- 
1  [y,  and  never,  if  it  can  be  well  avoided,  in  a  promis- 
cuous assembly  of  such  as  have  no  heart  for  its  just 
appreciation,  for  it  will  be  misunderstood  and  be  per- 
verted. ''  Give  not  that  which  is  holy  unto  the  dogs, 
neither  cast  ye  your  pearls  before  swine."  But  it 
must  be  right  to  imitate  the  devout  and  humble 
Psalmist  of  Israel,  in  prudently  and  for  good  reasons 
relating  Christian  experience,  and  growth  in  holy 
living.  Said  this  inspired  and  holy  man,  "Come  and 
hear,  all  ye  that  fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  what  He 
hath  done  for  my  soul."  The  blind  man,  whom  our  Lord 
restored  to  sight,  gave  God  the  praise.  "  One  thing 
1  know,  that  whereas  I  was  blind,  now  I  see."  Said 
the  apostle,  "I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ,  which 
strengtheneth  me."  "The  strength  of  sin  is  the  law." 
"  But  thanks  be  to  God,  which  giveth  us  the  victory, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  '^  If  we  love  one 
another,  God  dwelleth  in  us,  and  His  love  is  perfected 
in  us."  "  Herein  do  I  exercise  myself  to  have  al- 
ways  a  conscience,  void  of  offence  toward  God  and 
toward  man."  ''  I  have  lived  in  all  good  conscience 
before  God  until  this  day."  *'  For  our  rejoicing  is 
this,  the  testimony  of  our  conscience,  that  in  simplic- 
ity and  Godly  sincerity,  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have 
had  our  conversation  in  the  world." 

(32)  GOOD  FRUITS. 

The  aim  and  expectation  of  attaining  the  highest 
practical    holiness   in    this  life,  naturally  as  well  as 
graciously,    increases  Christian    purity  and  upright- 
ness.    This  doctrine  must  be  tested  by  its  legitimate 
♦18 


210  TRUE  RELIGION. 

fruits,  and  be  appreciated  according  to  its  obvious 
tendencies  and  results.  Do  not  all  intelligent  and 
growing  Christians  consider  it  their  imperative  duty 
and  exalted  privilege  to  grow  in  grace  and  be  sancti- 
fied through  the  truth  ?  To  live  habitually  in  imita- 
tion of  Christ,  who  "did  no  sin,"  and  as  the  best  of 
the  primitive  Christians  did,  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures ?  Yes ;  all,  I  trust,  maintain  that  we  should 
perseveringly  endeavor  to  keep  all  the  divine  com- 
mandments as  the  unalterable  rule  of  life.  ''  For 
whoso  keepeth  His  word,  in  him  verily  is  the  love  of 
God  perfected."  Bat  we  go  further  than  this,  and 
maintain  that  we  should  not  only  aim  to  love  God 
supremely  and  obey  him  strictly  always,  but  we  are 
authorized  in  the  Scripture  promises  to  really  expect 
through  God's  all-sutiicient  grace,  and  by  all-con- 
quering faith  in  the  help  of  Jesus,  to  habitually  and 
uniformly  obey  him  from  the  heart,  with  most  posi- 
tive strictness  as  the  rule  of  life,  according  to  the 
grace  and  strength  given  unto  us.  Jesus  saith,  "  Be- 
lieve ye  that  I  am  able  to  do  this  ?  "  '*  According  to 
your  faith  be  it  unto  you."  And  the  Apostle  Paul 
said,  "  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ,  which 
strengtheneth  me."  And  will  not  such  aim,  united 
with  such  expectation  ensure  better  success  in  abso- 
lute attainment  of  heart  purity,  than  an  indefinite  aim 
with  no  honest  expectation  of  attaining  definitely  the 
highest  practical  standard  of  piety  ?  Will  not  the 
practical  and  skillful  marksman  be  more  likely  to 
really  hit  his  game,  or  come  much  nearer  to  it,  with 
a  definite  and  absolute  expectation,  than  he  who 
merely  points  his  gun  at  some  indefinite  region  in  the 


TRUE  RELIGION.  211 

skies  above,  with  no  real  expectation  of  reaching  the 
mark  ?  Let  us  therefore  seek  definitely  the  highest 
point  of  attainment,  with  the  earnest  spirit  of  the 
apostle  who,  with  Moses,  "  had  respect  unto  the  rec- 
ompense of  reward."  "  This  one  thing  I  do,  forget- 
ting those  things  which  are  behind  and  reaching 
forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I  press  to- 
ward the  mark  for  the  prize."  And  ''  if  the  righteous 
scarcely  be  saved,"  so  as  by  fire,  who  are  merely  jus- 
tified, and  there  can  be  no  purification  in  the  process 
of  death,  let  us  earnestly  and  persistently  strive  i;o 
be  entirely  sanctified  by  faith,  through  the  truth,  and 
by  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  this  life.  ''For 
so  an  entrance  shall  be  ministered  unto  you  abun- 
dantly into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour,  Jesus  Christ."  There  can  be  no  reasonable 
doubt  that  the  Scriptures  furnish  reliable  encourage- 
ment that  all  real  Christians,  who  are  truly  penitent 
for  their  sins,  shall  be  admitted  to  heaven.  For  it 
is  written,  ''  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will 
give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  "Being  justified  freely 
by  His  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in 
Christ  Jesus,"  all  who  persevere  in  a  life  of  holiness 
shall  be  saved.  For  God  "  will  render  to  every  man 
according  to  his  deeds.  To  them  who  by  patient  con- 
tinuance in  well-doing  seek  for  glory  and  honor  and 
immortality,  eternal  life."  All  who  obey  God,  by  sub- 
mission to  His  authority,  and  are  willing  to  obey  the 
law  by  forsaking  all  their  sins,  are  candidates  for 
heaven.  But  the  command  is,  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at 
the  strait  gate ;  for  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek 
to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 


212  TRUE   RELIGION. 

(33)  THE  WORK  OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT.     BY  DR.    AVM.   PATTON. 
(^S  ANCTIFIC  ATION .) 

The  Greek  word  is,  in  the  New  Testament,  al- 
ways rendered  either  sanctification  or  holiness.  The 
idea  of  moral  purity  is  expressed  in  all.  The  primi- 
tive  word  denotes  separation  from  a  common  condi- 
tion and  use,  to  that  which  is  special  and  sacred,  im- 
plying dedication,  and  carries  with  it  the  idea  of 
purity,  of  sanctity,  of  cleansing.  There  are  three 
senses  in  which  the  word  is  used  by  the  sacred  writers. 
These  are,  (1)  To  acknowledge  and  celebrate  as  holy 
which  is  so  in  itself.  Thus  it  is  to  be  understood 
whenever  God  is  said  to  be  sanctified.  (2)  To  sepa- 
rate or  set  apart  time,  things,  or  persons,  from  a  com- 
mon to  a  sacred  use ;  thus  the  seventh  day  and  the 
Sabbath,  the  Tabernacle  and  places  of  worship;  also 
the  sacramental  elements  are  sanctified.  (3)  To 
make  persons  holy,  who  are  impure  and  defiled. 
Thus  the  apostle  uses  the  word  (I.  Cor.  vi:  2),  '^  And 
such  were  some  of  you;  but  ye  are  washed,  but  ye 
are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  spirit  of  our  God."  This  is 
the  meaning  of  the  word,  where  the  elect  are  said  to 
be  sanctified.  It  is  this  process  by  which  a  convert- 
ed sinner  is  advanced  from  a  lower  to  a  higher  state 
of  purity,  until  he  attains  its  highest  elevation  that 
is  meant  by  the  word  sanctification,  and  which  we 
now  propose  to  illustrate.  Guided  by  the  word  of 
God,  the  process  of  sanctification  appears  very  sim- 
ple. It  is  secured  by  obedience  to  the  truth. 
I.  Peter,  i :  22 — ''  Seeing  ye  have  purified  your  souls 


TRUE  RELIGION.  213 

in  obeying  the  truth  through  the  spirit,  unto  un- 
feigned love  of  the  brethren."  Here  obedience  on 
the  part  of  man  is  indispensable.  "  Ye  have  purified 
your  souls  in  obeying  the  truth.''  Peter  felt  no  diffi- 
culty in  tellitig  those  to  whom  he  wrote  that  they 
had  done  it ;  that  they,  personally  and  individually, 
had  actually  purified  their  own  souls — that  they  had 
done  it  freely  and  voluntarily,  by  obeying  the  truth. 
While  he  points  out  human  activity  and  freedom, 
and  the  instrumentality  of  revealed  truth,  he  honors 
the  official  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost  by  declaring 
that  their  obedience  to  the  truth  was  "  through  the 
spirit."  He  further  gives  the  certain  evidence  of  the 
reality  of  this  purification,  in  that  it  secures  "the  un- 
feigned love  of  the  brethren."  The  importance  of 
human  vigilance  and  activity  is  constantly  enforced. 
I.  John,  i:  18 — "But  he  that  is  begotten  of  God 
keepeth  himself,  and  that  wicked  one  toucheth  him 
not."  James,  i :  27 — "  And  keepeth  himself  unspot- 
ted from  the  world."  The  instrumentality  of  the 
truth  is  also  made  prominent.  Our  Lord  said  to  His 
disciples  (John,  XV :  3),  "Now  are  ye  clean  through 
the  word  which  I  have  spoken  unto  you."  In  his 
prayer  (John,  xvii:  17),  he  thus  pleads:  "Sanctify 
them  through  Thy  truth  ;  Thy  word  is  truth;"  verse 
nineteen  :  "  And  for  their  sakes  I  sanctify  myself, 
that  they  also  might  be  sanctified  through  the  truth." 
The  divine  efficiency  is  most  clearly  stated.  Both 
Paul  and  Peter  use  the  same  words  when  speaking  of 
the  election  of  sinners.  II.  Thess.,  i :  13,  and  I.  Peter, 
i:2 — "Through  sanctification  of  t^e  spirit."  Ro- 
mans, XV :  16 — "  That  the  offering  up  of  the  Gentiles 


214  TRUE  RELIGION. 

might  be  acceptable,  being  sanctified  by  the  Holy 
Ghost."  By  reading  the  following  passages  together, 
we  have  a  perspicuous  view  of  all  the  agencies  and 
instrumentalities  required  in  the  work  of  sanctifica- 
tion.  II.  Thess.  ii :  13-14 — "But  we  are  bound  al- 
ways to  give  thanks  to  God  for  jou,  brethren,  be- 
loved of  the  Lord,  because  God  hath  from  the  begin- 
ning chosen  you  to  salvation,  through  sanctification 
of  the  spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth;  whereunto  he 
called  you  by  our  gospel  to  the  obtaining  of  the 
glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  I.  Peter,  i :  2 — 
"  Elect,  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the 
Father,  through  sanctification  of  the  spirit,  unto 
obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ;" 
verse  twenty -second  :  "  Seeing  ye  have  purified  3^our 
souls  in  obeying  the  truth  through  the  spirit,  unto 
unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren."  Sanctification 
then,  is  obtained  by  obeying  the  truth,  and  this  obe- 
dience is  secured  by  the  efficient  agency  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  divine  command  may  be  clearly  before 
the  mind,  but  the  duty  which  it  requires,  or  the  thing 
which  it  forbids,  may  be  displeasing,  as  it  crosses 
our  plans  or  interferes  with  our  pleasures.  It  may 
call  for  the  sacrifice  of  some  loved  object,  and  we 
feel  disinclined  to  obey.  If  left  to  ourselves,  we  will 
disobey,  and  continue  to  disobey,  and  thus  wander 
further  and  further  from  God.  But  "  through  the 
spirit  "  we  are  led  to  obey — to  obey  willingly  and 
cheerfully.  By  this  obedience  to  the  truth  we  yield 
to  it,  and  the  victory  is  gained.  Thus  we  reverence 
the  authority  of  God  ;  right  principles  are  strength- 
ened, and  our  mind  and  will  are  brought  more  and 


TRUE  RELIGION.  215 

more  under  the  mind  and  will  of  God.  When  our 
mind  and  will  are  brought  perfectly  under  the  mind 
and  will  of  God,  so  that  our  obedience  is  prompt, 
and  cheerful,  and  universal,  then  our  sanctification  is 
complete.  We  know  that  in  every  regenerate  per- 
son the  light  has  begun  to  shine,  and  that  "  the  path 
of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light  which  shineth  more 
and  more  unto  the  perfect  day." — Prov.  iv :  18.  Re- 
vealed truth  is  the  instrumentality  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  uses  in  enlightening  the  mind,  in  operating  upon 
the  conscience,  in  purifying  the  affections,  in  sub- 
duing the  will,  and  in  securing  the  entire  renovation 
and  sanctification  of  the  sinner.  In  conversion  the 
Holy  Ghost  maintains  His  energizing  of  the  faculties, 
and  in  addition  exerts  such  an  influence  or  agency  to 
secure  the  change  of  the  disposition  the  ruling  pur- 
pose, so  that  the  sinner  now  voluntarily  loves  what 
he  before  voluntarily  hated.  This  agency,  while  it 
subdues  the  hatred  and  secures  the  love,  is  such  that 
the  freedom  and  activity  of  choice  is  not  violated  in 
the  least  possible  degree,  but  is  actually  made  more 
free  and  active.  In  sanctification,  the  Holy  Ghost 
energizes  the  faculties,  so  that  the  truth  is  brought 
into  living  contact  with  the  mind,  producing  the 
clear  conviction  of  duty.  Still,  a  further  agency  is 
needed,  and  exerted  to  secure  obedience  to  the  truth. 
By  this  free,  cheerful,  loving  obedience,  the  soul  is 
purified,  or  sanctified,  or  advanced  in  holiness. 

(34)    HOW  TO   OVERCOME    SIIJ.      BY  PRES.   FINNEY. 

In  every  part  of  my  ministerial  life,   I   have  found 
many  professed  Christians   in    a   miserable    state   of 


216  TRUE  RELTGION. 

bondage  to  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil.  But 
surely  this  is  no  Christian  state,  for  the  apostle  dis- 
tinctly said  :  "  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you, 
because  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace." 
In  all  my  Christian  life,  I  have  been  pained  to  find 
so  many  Christians  living  in  the  legal  bondage  de- 
scribed in  the  seventh  chapter  of  Romans, — a  life  of 
sinning,  and  resolving  to  reform,  and  falling  again. 

VICTORY  BY   FAITH. 

But  the  Bible  expressly  teaches  us  that  sin  is  over- 
come by  faith  in  Christ.  "  He  is  made  unto  us  wis- 
dom, righteousness,  sanctification  and  redemption." 
^'  He  is  the  way  and  the  truth  and  the  life."  Chris- 
tians are  said  to  "  purify  their  hearts  by  faith." — Acts, 
XV :  9.  And  in  Acts,  xxvi :  18,  it  is  affirmed  that  the 
saints  are  sanctified  by  faith  in  Christ.  In  Romans, 
ix  :  31-32,  it  is  affirmed  that  the  Jews  attained  not  to 
righteousness,  ''because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith, 
but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law."  The  doc- 
trine of  the  Bible  is  that  Christ  saves  His  people  from 
sin  through  faith  ;  that  Christ's  spirit  is  received  by 
faith  to  dwell  in  the  heart.  It  is  faith  that  works  by 
love.  Love  is  wrought  and  sustained  by  fiiith.  By 
faith  Christians  ''  overcome  the  world,  the  flesh  and 
the  devil."  It  is  by  faith  that  they  ''  quench  the  fiery 
darts  of  the  wicked.'  It  is  by  faith  that  "  they  put  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  put  off  the  old  man  with  his 
deeds."  It  is  by  faith  that  we  fight  "  the  good  fight," 
and  not  by  resolution.  It  is  by  faith  that  we  "stand," 
by  resolution  we  fall.  This  is  the  victory  that  over- 
cometh  the  world,  even  our  faith.     It  is  by  faith  that 


TRUE  RELIGION.  217 

the  flesh  is  kept  under  and  carnal  desires  subdued. 
The  fact  is  that  it  is  simply  by  faith  that  we  receive 
the  spirit  of  Christ  to  work  in  us,  to  will  and  to  do, 
according  to  His  good  pleasure.  He  sheds  abroad 
His  own  love  in  our  hearts,  and  thereby  enkindles 
ours.  Every  victory  over  sin  is  by  faith  in  Christ ; 
and  whenever  the  mind  is  diverted  from  Christ,  by 
resolving  and  fighting  against  sin,  w^hether  we  are 
aware  of  it  or  not,  we  are  acting  in  our  own  strength, 
rejecting  the  help  of  Christ,  and  are  under  a  specious 
delusion.  Nothing  but  the  life  and  energy  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  within  us  can  save  us  from  sin,  and 
trust  in  the  uniform  and  universal  condition  of  the 
working  of  this  saving  energy  within  us.  How  long 
shall  this  fact  be  at  least  practically  overlooked  by 
the  teachers  of  religion?  How  deeply  rooted  in  the 
heart  of  man  is  self-righteousness  and  self-depend- 
ence ?  So  deeply  that  one  of  the  hardest  lessons  for 
the  human  heart  to  learn  is  to  renounce  self-depend- 
ence and  trust  wholly  to  Christ.  When  we  open  the 
door  by  implicit  trust  He  enters  in  and  takes  up  His 
abode  with  us  and  in  us.  By  shedding  abroad  His 
love,  He  quickens  our  whole  souls  into  sympathy 
with  Himself,  and  in  this  way,  and  in  this  way  alone, 
he  purifies  our  hearts  through  faith.  He  sustains  our 
will  in  the  attitude  of  devotion.  He  quickens  and 
regulates  our  affections,  desires,  appetites  and  pas- 
sions, and  becomes  our  sanctification, 
19 


218  TRUE  RELIGION. 

(35)   highest  aim. 
(extract.) 

If  you  find  yourselves  disiuclined  to  make  strenu- 
ous efforts  for  the  very  highest  definite  attainments 
in  holy  living,  "  look  into  your  Bible  and  see  how 
Christians  ought  to  live."  See  how  the  Bible  says 
those  who  are  Christians  must  live;  and  then  if  you 
find  your  professing  Christian  brethren  living  in  a 
different  way,  instead  of  having  cause  for  feeling  that 
you  may  do  so  too,  you  have  only  cause  to  fear  that 
they  are  deceiving  themselves  with  the  belief  that 
they  are  Christians  when  they  are  not.  Remember 
that  the  farther  your  Christian  friends  depart  from 
the  standard  of  Christian  character  laid  down  in  the 
Bible,  the  less  reason  you  have  to  hope  that  they  are 
Christians.  And  do  not  hesitate  upon  this  subject, 
because  you  find  many  professed  Christians  who  are 
indifferent  or  lax  in  their  practice  and  example.  Re- 
member that  Christ  has  said,  "  many  shall  say  unto 
me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,"  thus  claiming  to  be  His 
disciples,  to  whom  He  will  say,  "  I  never  knew  you," 

(36)  application, 
(extract.) 

There  was  never  such  an  appeal  to  the  divinest 
part  of  our  nature,  as  in  the  times  in  which  we  are 
living,  for  personal  purity  ;  for  disinterestedness;  for 
holy  self-denial ;  for  joyfulness  in  suffering.  There 
never  was  a  time  when  men  of  fidelity  to  Christian 
truths  would  do  so  much  to  cheer  the  desponding,  to 


TRUE  RELIGION.  219 

inspire  the  drooping,  to  dissipate  moral  darkness,  and 
to  carry  forward  the  work  of  God  in  the  hearts  of 
men,  as  in  our  time.  Never  was  there  such  a  test, 
such  a  dividing  between  the  elect  and  the  non-elect, 
as  in  the  great  providence  which  God  is  now  insti- 
tuting in  this  land.  When  1  look  out  and  see  how 
men  are  bargaining  and  haggling ;  how  they  are  forg- 
ing chains  of  selfishness  link  by  link  ;  how  they  are 
studying  still  in  the  day  of  their  country's  anguish 
their  own  advancement  and  profit;  and  how  their 
whole  thought  is  "  who  shall  show  us  any  good  ?  " 
my  heart  sinks  in  the  contrast.  Where  are  those 
that  say,  in  the  spirit  of  the  Master,  "for  their  sakes 
I  sanctify  myself?''  Where  are  those  that  say,  *' It 
is  not  for  me  to  become  greater  and  richer;  it  is  not 
for  me  to  become  personally  more  profited  ?  "  There 
is  not  necessarily  any  sin  in  this  ;  but  not  to  commit 
sin  overtly,  is  not  the  motive  which  should  actuate 
men  now.  In  this  time  when  Christ  is  sacrificed, 
and  justice  is  brought  into  peril,  and  liberty  itself  is 
apparently  in  extreme  danger,  every  Cliristian  heart 
should  say  :  ''  let  my  first  thought  and  feeling  of  my- 
self be  to  rise  to  a  higher  ambition,  to  higher  en- 
deavor, to  higher  courage,  and  to  a  truer  esteem  for 
God." 

Everything  for  the  cause  of  God,  nothing  for  one's 
self.  Everything  for  the  divine  kingdom,  nothing  for 
one's  personal  interest.  Stand  for  the  time,  and  the 
country,  and  the  world,  and  the  Church,  and  the 
eternity  of  God's  cause.  My  brethren,  we  are  called 
peculiarly  to  a  personal  application  of  these  truths. 
It  is  a  time  for  reviewing  the    past,  and    a   time    for 


220  TRUE   RELIGION. 

forecasting  the  future.  Never  did  Christians  on  the 
earth  live  in  such  an  age,  and  under  such  motives,  as 
now.  All  the  past  culminates  in  our  day,  and  all  the 
future,  as  it  were,  advances  toward  us,  and  calls  to 
us.  And  what  influence  does  all  this  have  upon  you? 
Are  you  called,  in  view  of  the  past,  in  view  of  the 
exigencies  of  the  present,  and  in  view  of  the  expecta- 
tions of  the  future,  to  any  difference  of  life?  There 
is  not  a  man,  woman  or  child  that  has  not  a  part  in 
the  great  work  that  is  being  carried  forward  ;  and 
God  calls  you  to  perform  that  part.  If  you  under- 
stand the  call  of  God,  in  the  time  in  which  you  live, 
you  should  sanctify  yourselves  for  the  sake  of  your 
day  and  generation.  There  never  were  more  influen- 
tial and  potent  reasons  why  every  man  should  be  a 
true  Christian  man,  than  now.  I  ask  you,  then,  what 
repentance,  what  reformation  is  possible  in  your 
life?  Are  you  willing  to  look  in  upon  y^ourselves? 
Are  you  willing  to  search  your  hearts,  clear  down 
to  the  bottom  ?  Are  you  willing  to  question  your 
motives?  Are  you  willing  to  go  into  the  dark 
chamber  of  your  experience  ?  Are  you  willing  to 
call  God  to  go  with  you  there  ?  Are  you  willing 
to  open  the  door  of  the  sanctuary,  and  let  blaze  up- 
on your  secret  thoughts  and  feelings,  the  whole  light 
of  the  eternal  throne,  and  say  :  "  God,  interpret  to 
me  my  nature,  my  heart,  my  life,  my  character,  my 
everything — that  I  may  bring  out  whatever  is  evil  in 
Thy  sight,  and  for  the  sake  of  the  world  sanctify  my- 
self, and  be  a  better  man."  It  is  quite  in  vain  to  talk 
about  things  in  general.  It  is  quite  in  vain  to  say,  ^'I 
will,  in  general,  look  at  sin."   Will  you  look  at  it  per- 


TRUE  RELIGION".  221 

sonally,  man  by  man  ?  Will  you  search  your  disposi- 
tion trait  by  trait  ?  Will  you  go  through  all  your  busi- 
ness, your  pleasures,  your  affections — everything  that 
relates  to  your  happiness,  or  well-being,  or  to  your 
misery  and  woe — and  lay  the  law  of  God  upon  every 
part  of  your  life  with  this  solemn  and  earnest  pur- 
pose :  "I  by  the  love  of  God," — that  shall  not  be 
withheld  from  any  one  of  you — "  am  prepared  to  say 
in  the  presence  of  my  Saviour,  that  I  will  sanctify 
myself  for  their  sakes  that  are  given  me."  Let  it  be 
so.  And,  as  the  housewife,  taking  her  broom,  begins 
and  brushes  every  web  however  gauzy,  out  of  the 
angle,  and  clears  everything  off  from  the  windows 
and  washes  them,  and  sweeps  in  every  corner  and 
nook,  and  dusts  in  every  alcove,  and  cleans  every 
part,  and  gathers  the  collected  dirt  and  marches  it  in 
a  battalion  towards  the  door  and  gradually  works  it 
through  the  hall  and  across  the  hall  to  the  outside 
door,  and,  at  last,  with  one  blow,  sweeps  it  all  out 
and  bids  farewell  to  it  ,*  so  let  you  hearts  be  cleansed. 
It  is  a  good  time  to  begin  such  a  duty  as  this,  and  it 
is  a  good  time  to  be  faithful  therein.  And,  for  the 
sake  of  God,  for  the  sake  of  the  Church,  for  the  sake 
of  the  family,  and  for  the  sake  of  the  cause  of  God  in 
our  day,  1  call  upon  you  to  sanctify  yourselves. 
What  reformations  in  the  performance  of  family  duty 
toward  your  children  do  these  thoughts  suggest  to  you? 
Have  you  been  such  parents  as  you  ought  to  have 
been  ?  Have  you  set  such  an  example  before  your 
children  as  you  ought  to  have  set  ?  Have  you  taught 
them  as  you  ought  to  have  taught  them?  Have  you 
borne  with  them  and  labored  with  them  as  you  ought 
♦19 


222  TRUE   RELIGION. 

to  have  done?  Are  3'ou  doing  it  now — you  that  are 
in  the  midst  of  your  life's  calh'ng  ?  Are  you  carry- 
ing yourselves  in  the  household  so  as  to  be  a  help  to 
your  children,  or  are  you  lying  across  the  threshold 
so  as  to  be  a  perpetual  stumbling-block  to  them  ? 
Are  you  living  with  each  other,  husbands  and  wives, 
in  the  truest  spirit  of  love,  and  in  the  largest  sense  of 
wedding?  Are  you  one?  or  are  you  forever  and 
forevermore  two  ?  Are  you  living  to  help  each 
other,  or  to  annoy  each  other  ?  Are  you  living  in  the 
true  excusatory  spirit  which  always  accompanies 
real  conjugal  love?  Do  you  look  upon  each  other, 
with  all  your  faults  and  failings,  as  the  heirs  of  God  ? 
In  your  hearts,  made  luminous  by  faith,  do  you  see 
heaven  blossoming  in  the  face  of  your  companions, 
and  behold  that  which  is  to  be,  but  which  has  not  yet 
been,  disclosed  from  the  rubbish  of  imperfect  human 
experience?  And  do  you  find  yourselves  moved 
to  patience,  to  gentleness,  and  to  holy  forbearance  ? 
And  are  you  every  day  twining  around  each  other 
like  two  honeysuckles?  And  do  the  blossoms  of 
your  love  send  fragrance  through  all  the  dwelling 
and  through  every  wedded  day  ?  Is  there  nothing  to 
be  done  by  you?  Is  there  no  change  to  be  made  in 
your  life  ?  If  there  are  any  here  who  are  living  in 
almost  mortal  hate,  and  who  have  formed  habits  of 
disagreement,  tlien,  if  the  root  of  your  former  love 
remains,  do  not  destroy  that  but  do  as  I  did  when  I 
coald  not  manage  my  old  honeysuckle.  I  cut  it  off  to 
the  root,  and  in  a  few  weeks  it  sent  out  new  shoots ; 
and  I  trained  these  new  shoots  as  I  wanted  them  to 
grow,  and    there  they  stand  to  my  good   pleasure. 


TRUE  RELIGION.  223 

And  if  your  old  love  is  gnarled  and  twisted,  so  that 
you  cannot  manage  it,  cut  it  off  to  the  root,  and  cul- 
tivate new  fruits  of  fresh  love,  that  shall  be  for  your 
happiness  and  profit.  We  talk  about  revivals  in  the 
Church.  Oh,  for  a  revival  that  shall  make  husbands 
and  wives  love  each  other,  or  that  shall  make  those 
that  do  love  each  other  more  tolerant  and  patient  to- 
ward one  another  !  Oh,  for  a  revival  that  shall  lead 
husband  and  wife  to  take  hold  of  hands,  for  their 
children's  sake,  and  say :  "  Beloved,  let  us  sanctify 
ourselves."  Is  there  no  work  of  this  kind  that  is  be- 
fitting you  ?  Are  there  no  thoughts  in  this  connec- 
tion that  are  applicatory  to  your  business  relations  ? 
Perhaps  you  say,  some  of  you,  ''  I  conduct  my  busi- 
ness according  to  the  best  light  I  have."  Ood  be 
thanked  if  you  do.  I  hope  that  there  are  some  who 
can  truly  say  this.  But  are  there  not  some  who 
need  greater  moderation  ?  Honest  you  are,  but  are 
you  not  too  intense,  too  much  absorbed  in  your  secu- 
lar affairs?  Do  you  not  need  to  be  more  moderate 
in  worldly  things  !  Are  you  living  up  to  the  highest 
light  that  you  have  in  this  regard  ?  Can  you  take 
the  Word  of  God,  and  go  through  the  processes  of 
your  business,  and  say,  "  There  is  nothing  here  that 
I  am  afraid  to  have  God's  eye  rest  upon  ?  "  Blessed 
are  ye  if  it  is  so  ;  but  I  exhort  you,  as  your  Christian 
friend,  to  take  advantage  of  this  great  truth  of  which 
I  have  spoken,  and  say,  '  In  my  business  I  am  called 
of  God,  to  sanctify  myself  for  their  sakes  that  are 
round  about  me,  and  to  become  a  holier  man  in  my 
secular  administration."  What  new  offices  of  labor, 
what  new  fidelities,  what  consecrations  and  purifica- 


224  TRUE  RELIGION". 

tions,  are  necessary  that  you  may  have  more  influ- 
ence with  those  round  about  you,  Sunday-school 
teacher?  Are  you  as  influential  with  your  class  as 
you  would  be  if  you  were  holier  ?  You  may  avoid 
sins  and  faults  of  an  overt  kind,  but  are  you  not 
wanting  in  fervor,  in  heavenly  mindedness,  and  in 
overflowing  sweet  dispositions?  Are  you  not  de- 
ficient toward  those  that  are  under  your  charge,  be- 
cause you  lack  so  much  of  the  grace  of  Christ  Jesus? 
And  is  there  not  a  call  to  you  to  sanctify  yourselves 
this  vear,  for  their  sakes  that  are  committed  unto 
your  care?  I  invoke  every  one  of  you  to  a  higher 
life  for  Christ's  sake,  for  the  sake  of  those  around 
you,  for  the  sake  of  the  poor  and  needy  in  this  land 
and  in  every  land,  for  the  sake  of  God  who  loves 
you,  and  for  the  sake  of  the  Church  Universal  which 
is  established  for  you.  And  this  is  my  appeal;  that  you 
accompany  me  in  the  solemn  confession  of  sin,  and 
in  the  divinely  implanted  purpose  (tf  eradicating  it 
root  and  branch ;  that  you  may  look  at  yourselves  as 
related  to  many  parts  of  life  ;  and  that  you  take  upon 
yourselves  earnestly  and  irrevocably,  for  time  and 
eternity,  this  solemn,  this  apostolic,  this  more  than 
apostolic,  this  Christ-like  example,  and  say,  "For 
my  own  sake,  for  God's  sake,  and  for  the  sake  of  all 
that  live,  I  will  sanctify  myself."  And  God  grant 
that  having  had  a  place  in  this  earthly  church,  you 
and  I  may  stand  together  in  the  church  triumphant, 
without  stain,  or  spot,  or  blemish,  or  any  such  thing, 
to  the  honor  and  the  glory  of  the  adorable  name  of 
Him  by  whom  we  are  saved  and  in  whom  we  trust. 
"  Having  therefore  these  promises,"  said  the  inspired 


TRUE  RELIGION.  225 

apostle,  "  dearly  beloved,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves 
from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting 
holiness  in  the  fear  of  God." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  CHRISTIAN'S  SECRET  OF  A  HAPPY  LIFE. 

(abstract.) 

(1)  The  Lord  has  taught  me  experimentally  and 
practically,  certain  lessons  out  of  His  word,  which 
have  greatly  helped  me  in  my  Christian  life,  and  have 
made  it  a  very  happy  one.  And  I  want  to  tell  this 
lesson  to  others  that  they  may  have  a  happy  life  also. 
I  cannot  bear  to  keep  the  secret  to  myself. 

(2)  god's  side  and  man's  side. 

God's  part  in  the  work  of  sanctification  and  man's 
part.  Man's  part  is  to  trust,  and  God's  part  is  to 
work.  We  are  to  be  delivered  from  the  power  of 
temptation  and  sin,  and  are  to  be  made  "  perfect  in 
every  good  work  to  do  the  will  of  God."  We  are  to 
*'  be  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  our  minds,  that 
we  may  prove  what  is  that  good  and  acceptable,  and 
perfect  will  of  God."     The   Lord   Jesus    Christ  has 


TRUE  RELIGION.  227 

come  to  do  this  work,  and  he  will  do  it  for  all  who 
put  themselves  wholly  into  His  hand  and  trust  Him 
to  do  it.  In  this  highest  Christian  life,  man  trusts 
with  his  whole  heart,  and  God  does  the  thing  en- 
trusted to  Him.  Now,  sanctitication  is  both  a  sud- 
den step  of  faith  on  our  part,  and  also  a  gradual 
process  on  God's  part.  By  a  step  of  faith  we  put 
ourselves  into  the  hands  of  Christ,  and  by  a  gradual 
process  He  prepares  us  for  every  good  work.  The 
maturity  of  Christian  experience  cannot  be  reached 
in  a  moment,  bat  is  the  result  of  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Sanctification  as  a  present  experience 
does  not  consist  in  maturity  of  growth,  but  in  purity 
of  heart,  and  this  may  be  as  complete  in  the  babe  in 
Christ  as  in  the  veteran  believer.  By  a  step  of  faith 
we  put  ourselves  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord,  for  Him 
to  work  in  us  all  the  good  pleasure  of  His  will,  and 
b}^  a  continuous  exercise  of  faith  we  keep  ourselves 
there,  yielding  ourselves  unto  God  and  "  He  works 
in  us,  to  will  and  to  do  of  His  good  pleasure."  *'  I 
labored,  yet  not  I  but  the  grace  of  God  which  was 
with  me.'^ 

(3)    THE   LIFE   DEFINED. 

This  highest,  happiest  life,  is  a  life  of  trust ;  "  hid 
with  Christ  in  God."  The  Bible  teaches  us  that  our 
Saviour  is  as  able  to  save  from  anxious  care  and  the 
power  of  temptation  as  from  the  penalty  of  transgres- 
sion. This  exalted  religious  experience  consists  in 
simply  trusting  the  Lord  to  carry  our  burdens  and 
manage  our  affairs  for  us,  instead  of  indulging  anxious 
care  in  striving  to  manage  our  affairs  ourselves,  with- 


228  TRUE  RELIGION. 

out  trustfully  looking  to  Him  for  aid.  If  we  would 
be  at  peace  we  must  take  all  our  cares  to  Him  and 
leave  them  there.  We  must  trust  in  divine  strength 
to  support  us  under  our  burdens,  every  thing  that 
troubles  us,  whether  spiritual  or  temporal,  whether 
inward  or  outward.  After  we  have  taken  our  trouble 
to  the  Lord  and  left  it  there,  if  it  comes  back,  we 
must  take  it  to  Him  again  and  leave  it  until  we  find 
perfect  rest.  "  Be  careful  for  nothing,  and  the  peace 
of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding  shall  keep 
your  hearts  and  minds,  through  Christ  Jesus."  We 
must  be  teachable  and  trustful  as  little  children.  A 
young  child  trusts  its  devoted  parent  from  years  end 
to  years  end  with  no  anxious  solicitude.  He  pro- 
vides nothing  for  himself,  his  parent  provides  every- 
thing ;  he  lives  peacefully  from  moment  to  moment. 
Hence  our  heavenly  Father  says  to  us,  "  Take  no 
thought  for  yourselves.  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do 
good,  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land,  and  verily  thou 
Shalt  be  fed." 

(4)   HUNGERING  AND   THIRSTING  FOR  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Our  Divine  Redeemer  has  said :  "  Blessed  are  they 
which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness,  for 
they  shall  be  filled." 

(ABSTRACT.) 

This  is  God's  policy  of  insurance  upon  the  enter- 
prise of  right  living.  It  presents  Him  as  saying: 
'*  Take  any  other  ideal  of  life,  and  you  take  risks  as 
to  succeeding.  But  if  you  will  make  it  always  your 
supreme, choice  to  live  aright,  I  pledge  myself  that 


TRUE  RELIGION.  229 

you  shall  have  success."  For  the  effort  to  live 
aright  is  the  one  effort,  among  all  the  varieties  of  hu- 
man strivings,  which  cannot  be  frustrated  by  hin- 
drances outside  of  one's  self.  In  the  various  aspira- 
tions and  undertakings  of  mankind,  there  is  no  cer- 
tainty of  succeeding ;  the  utmost  wisdom  and 
earnestness  of  endeavor  do  not  always  accomplish 
the  result.  Health?  One  may  understand  the  con- 
ditions and  laws  which  promote  good  health,  and 
observe  them  to  the  utmost,  yet  accidents  unforeseen 
may  derange  the  organization,  unpreventable  expos- 
ure may  cause  disease,  one's  wisely  chosen  food  or 

j      medicine    may  poison  him  with  unknown  adultera- 

'  tions,  and  old  age  will  surely  bring  infirmities  and 
decay.  Wealth  ?  A  merchant  may  understand  the 
laws  of  commerce,  may  plan  his  business 
judiciously,    live    frugally,    save     steadily,    and    in- 

I  vest  wisely  ;  the  failure  and  frauds  of  *others  may 
overwhelm  him.     Fame?     One  may  desire  to  the  ut- 

;  most  the  good  opinion  of  others,  and  live  circum- 
spectly to  that  end,  yet  the  jealousies  of  rivals  or 
enemies  may  involve  him  in  undeserved  obloquy. 
Usefulness  ?  One  may  engage  sincerely,  earnestly, 
and  steadily  in  some  well-planned  scheme  of  doing 
good,  yet  circumstances  wholly  unforeseen  and  uncon- 
trollable, may  defeat  the  plan.  Power  ?  How  many 
men,  endowed  with  apparent  qualification  and  favor- 
able circumstances  to  attain  power,  have  utterly 
I  failed  while  doing  the  best  that  could  be  done  ? 
But  a  wise,  unyielding  effort  for  righteousness,  in 
the  eye  and  appreciation  of  God,  is  righteousness. 
Hence,  when  one  knows  what  is  right,  and  strives 
20 
I 


230  TRUE  RELIGION. 

perseveringly  to  do  it,  trusting  in  divine  assistance, 
that  effort  cannot  be  defeated.  In  really  hungering 
and  thirsting  for  righteousness,  ''  he  shall  be  filled." 
But  it  must  be  something  more  than  the  pleasurea- 
ble  anticipations  which  brings  us  to  our  daily  meals. 
It  must  be  real  craving,  hunger  and  thirst  for  recti- 
tude, an  inflexible  and  earnest  desire  and  purpose,  so 
overwhelming  above  and  beyond  all  other  hopes  and 
objects,  as  to  ensure  its  gratification  in  right  living 
in  preference  to  all  sinful  indulgences. 

(5)   HOW   TO    ENTER  IN. 

In  order  for  a  soul  to  be  made  into  a  vessel  for 
God's  honor,  "  sanctified  and  meet  for  the  Master's 
use,  and  prepared  unto  every  good  work,"  it  must  be 
entirely  consecrated  and  abandoned  to  Him,  so  as  to 
become  passive  in  His  hands.  The  whole  spirit,  soul 
and  body,  must  be  surrendered  to  God's  absolute  and 
unconditional  control.  His  directions  must  be  im- 
plicitly followed.  In  every  moral  act  the  supreme 
choice  must  be  "  Thy  will  be  done."  In  this  spirit 
of  entire  submission  we  shall  experience  the  hap- 
piest and  most  restful  of  lives.  For  God  loves  us,  and 
knows  what  is  best  for  us,  and  His  way  must  be  the 
best  for  us  under  all  circumstances.  Faith  is  the 
next  thing.  Faith  is  an  absolutely  necessary  ele- 
ment in  the  reception  of  any  gift ;  for,  let  our  friends 
give  a  thing  to  us  ever  so  fully,  it  is  not  really  ours 
until  we  believe  it  has  been  given,  and  claim  it  our 
own.  Love  may  be  lavished  upon  us  by  another, 
but  until  we  believe  that  we  are  loved,  it  never 
really  becomes  ours.     In  the  beginning  of  the  Chris- 


TRUE  RELIGION.  231 

tian  life,  we  believed  that  Jesus  was  our  Saviour 
from  the  penalty  of  sin,  and  according  to  our  faith  it 
was  unto  us.  Now  we  must  believe  that  He  is  our 
Saviour  from  the  power  of  temptation,  and  accord- 
ing to  our  faith  it  shall  be  unto  us.  Then  we  were 
justified  by  faith,  now  we  must  take  Him  as  a  Saviour 
from  the  bondage  of  sin.  But  sometimes  the  earnest 
Christian,  desiring  entire  sanctification,  cannot  be- 
lieve that  he  is  entirely  consecrated  until  he  feels 
that  he  is.  He  puts  feeling  first,  and  faith  second. 
Now  God's  invariable  rule  is,  faith  first  and  feeling 
afterward,  in  everything.  He  should  give  himself  to 
God  entirely,  definitely,  fully,  according  to  his  present 
light,  asking  the  Holy  Spirit  to  show  him  all  that  is 
contrary  to  God,  either  in  heart  or  life.  If  He  shows 
anything,  give  it  to  the  Lord  immediately,  and  say  in 
reference  to  it,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  Do  you,  then, 
at  this  moment,  surrender  yourself  wholly  to  Him? 
Then  He  has  taken  you,  and  He  "  is  working  in  you 
to  will  and  to  do  His  good  pleasure."  It  is  your 
purpose  God  appreciates,  not  your  feelings  about 
that  purpose.  Pure  religion  resides  in  the  will  alone. 
As  the  will  is  the  governing  power  in  man's  nature, 
if  the  will  is  set  strait  all  the  rest  of  man's  nature 
must  come  into  harmony.  If  then  God  is  reigning 
there  by  the  power  of  His  Spirit,  all  the  rest  of  our 
nature  must  be  obedient  to  Him.  *'  If  any  man  shall 
do  His  will  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine."  Your 
entire  sanctification  is  attained,  not  because  your 
faith  in  itself  sanctifies  you,  but  because  it  links  you 
to  your  Saviour,  who  is  "  called  Jesus,  because  He 
shall  save  His  people  from  their  sins."     He  is  able  to 


232  TRUE   RELIGION. 

save  to  the  uttermost.  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
cleanseth  from  all  sin.'^  Now  God  says,  "Yield 
yourselves  unto  Me,  as  those  that  are  alive  from  the 
dead,  and  I  will  work  in  you  to  will  and  to  do  of  My 
good  pleasure."  And  the  moment  that  we  yield  our- 
selves, He  of  course  takes  full  possession  of  us,  and 
does  work  in  us  that  which  is  pleasing  in  His  sight, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  giving  us  the  mind  that  was 
in  Christ,  and  transforming  us  into  His  image.  In 
thi.s  way  we  shall  become  wholly  the  Lord's,  and 
have  the  witness  of  the  spirit  that  He  sanctifies  us 
through  the  truth.  We  shall  trust  in  the  blood  of 
Jesus  as  a  sufficient  atonement  for  all  past  sins,  and 
we  shall  commit  the  future  wholly  to  the  Lord, 
agreeing  to  do  His  will  under  all  circumstances,  as 
He  shall  make  it  known.  We  shall  trust  Him  for  a 
present  supply  of  grace,  and  trust  Him  in  the  future 
to  keep  us  from  sin  from  moment  to  moment.  Noth- 
ing else  will  take  all  the  risks  and  supposes  out  of 
the  Christian  life,  and  enable  him  to  sa}'' :  "  Surely 
goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the  days  of 
my  life.'*     And  such  a  soul  can  say: 

"  I  know  not  what  it  is  to  doubt. 
My  heart  is  always  gay, 
I  run  no  risk,  for  come  what  may, 
God  always  has  His  way." 

If  the  will  of  God  is  our  will,  and  He  always  has 
His  way,  then  we  always  have  our  way  also,  and  we 
reign  in  a  perpetual  kingdom.  If  we  side  with  God 
we  must  triumph  in  every  encounter,  and  whether 
the  result  shall  be  joy  or  sorrow,  under  all  circum- 


TRUE  RELIGION.  233 

stances  we  shall  join  in  the  apostles  shout  of  victory, 
"  Thanks  be  unto  God,  which  alwa^'s  causeth  us  to 
triumph  in  Christ." 

(6)    GROWTH   IX  GRACE. 

When  the  earnest  seeker  has  really  entered  into 
this  exalted  Christian  life,  "  which  is  hid  with  Christ 
in  God,"  by  entire  surrender  and  confiding  trust  he 
must  aim  constantly  at  spiritual  progress,  and  at  fu- 
ture increase  and  development  as  he  advances  in  the 
divine  life.  He  must  advance  from  the  feebleness  of 
infancy  toward  the  strength  of  mature  manhood,  so 
as  to  bring  forth  ripe  fruit.  Do  not  trouble  your- 
selves about  growing,  but  trust  in  Christ  continually 
for  your  growing  life,  that  He  may  work  in  you  all 
the  good  pleasure  of  His  will.  Put  your  growing 
life  in  His  hands  for  its  progress  and  completion, 
"  and  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  under- 
standing, shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds,  through 
Christ  Jesus."  ^'  Abide  in  me  and  I  in  you.  As  the 
branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in 
the  vine,  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me." 
"The  righteous  shall  flourish  like  the  palm  tree  ;  he 
shall  grow  like  the  cedar  in  Lebanon."  Therefore  you 
must  increase  in  holiness,  advance  in  piety.  Though 
your  spiritual  life  be  now  as  feeble  as  the  physical 
cal  and  intellectual  life  of  an  infant,  it  must  strength- 
en with  your  strength  and  grow  with  your  growth. 
You  must  increase  in  the  fervor  and  constancy  of 
your  love  to  God  and  submission  to  His  holy  and 
righteous  will, 
♦20 


234  TRUE   RELIGION. 

(7)   SERVICE. 

When  a  Christian  enters  into  the  hidden  life  with 
Christ  in  God,  he  experiences  a  great  change  in  the 
matter  of  service.     In  all  the  lower  forms  of  Chris- 
tian  experience,   service    is   apt    to    have    much    of 
bondage    in    it.      The   conscience   of   the    Christian 
urges  him  to  obey  the  Divine  law,  merely  from  a  sense 
of   duty,  and  often    his  religious  services  are    great 
trials  and  crosses.       He  finds  his  struggling  experi- 
ence in  the  seventh  chapter  of  Romans  :     "  For  we 
know  (says  he)  that  the  law  is  spiritual ;    but  I  am 
carnal,  sold  under  sin.       .      .       For  to  will  is  present 
with  me  ;  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  I 
find  not."     Now  in  these  higher  forms  of  Christian 
experience,  the  soul  is  in  a  great  measure  delivered 
from  this  species   of  bondage    in    proportion    as  he 
enters  fully  into  the  blessed  life  of   faith.     His  im- 
proved experience  is  like  that  of  the  Apostle  Paul  in 
the  eighth  chapter  of  Romans.     "  For  the  law  of  the 
spirit  of  life  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin 
and  death."     They  that  are  after  the  spirit,  do  mind 
the  things  of  the  spirit.     To  be  spiritually  minded  is 
life  and  peace.     When  we  come  into  this  state,  we 
do  God's  will  with  as  much  pleasure  and  heartiness 
as  men  in  their  unsanctified  state  do  their  own  wills. 
As  God    works  in  us  "  to  will  and  do  of  His  good 
pleasure,"  we  will  what  He  wills,  not  merely  because 
it  is  our  duty,  but  because  we  delight  to  do  His  will 
as  He  desires.     Says  the  Psalmist :    "  I  delight  to  do 
Thy  will."     Says  the  Apostle  :   *'  I  delight  in  the  law 
of  God."     If  this  be  our  experience,  let  us  habitually 


TRUE  RELIGION.  235 

inquire,  how  shall  I  serve  my  Master  to-day  ?  Let  us 
dedicate  ourselves  anew  to  Him  body  and  soul  and 
spirit,  with  all  our  possessions  and  influence.  We 
must  look  to  II im  for  all  we  need  through  the 
day.  ''  If  ye  shall  ask  anything  in  My  name,  I  will 
do  it."  We  must  imitate  Jesus  in  all  we  do.  We 
must  do  as  we  think  He  would  do  in  our  circum- 
stances. We  must  speak  of  Bim  to  all  who  will 
listen  to  our  conversation,  and  walk  with  Him  in 
peace  and  holiness.  "  Them  that  honor  me,  I  will 
honor."  Then  let  us  follow  our  Lord's  example  by  a 
life  of  self-sacrificing  beneficence  in  ''  going  about 
doing  good." 

(8)    TEMPTATION. 

Christian  life  is  a  continuous  warfare  with  tempta- 
tion. Great  temptations  are  frequently  a  sign  of 
great  grace  in  the  heart,  consequently  temptation  is 
not  sin.  But  in  every  temptation  we  must  expect  to 
conquer,  for  God  says  :  *'  Be  strong  and  of  a  good 
courage."  Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  tempta- 
tion, not  in  his  own  weakness  and  susceptibility,  but 
by  faith  in  the  proffered  strength  of  Almighty  God. 
Resist  the  temptations  of  the  world,  the  flesh  and 
the  devil.  Walk  through  the  fiercest  assaults  with 
unclouded  and  triumphant  peace,  knowing  that 
"  when  the  enemy  shall  come  in  like  a  flood,  the 
spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  lift  up  a  standard  against 
him."  We  must  ever  remember  that  sanctification 
is  not  a  thing  to  be  kept  without  the  use  of  appro- 
priate means  in  a  certain  stage  of  Christian  experi- 
ence, but  it  is  a  life  to  be  lived  day  by  day,  and  hour 


236  TRUE  RELIGION. 

by  hour.  If  at  any  time,  by  neglect  of  watchfulness, 
the  strength  of  temptation  and  the  weakness  of 
faith,  there  be  momentary  stumbling  in  our  walk,  we 
must  instantly  regain  our  step  by  turning  to  Jesus, 
our  continuous  guide  and  unfailing  support.  There 
is  no  remedy  to  be  found  in  discouragement.  As 
well  might  a  child  who  is  learning  to  walk,  lie  down 
in  despair  when  he  has  fallen,  and  refuse  to  take 
another  step,  as  a  believer,  who  is  learning  how  to 
live  and  walk  by  faith,  give  up  in  despair  because  of 
having  fallen  into  sin.  The  only  way,  in  both  cases, 
is  to  get  up  and  try  again,  trusting  to  the  sympathy 
and  support  of  our  loving  father.  By  a  penitential 
return  to  God  for  forgiveness  for  the  past,  and 
strength  for  the  future,  we  may  be  sure  of  immediate 
forgiveness.  "  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful 
and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from 
all  unrighteousness.  The  Lord  Jesus  is  able  to 
deliver  us  out  of  the  hands  of  our  enemies,  that  we 
may  serve  him  without  fear  in  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness before  him  all  the  days  of  our  life.  Let  us  con- 
fidingly trust  in  God's  offers  of  gracious  support, 
that  he  will  be  able  to  make  us  perfect  in  every  good 
work  to  do  his  will,  working  in  us  that  which  is  well 
pleasing  in  his  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom 
be  the  glory  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 

(9)   PRACTICAL    RESULTS. 

If  all  that  has  been  written  concerning  the  life 
hid  with  Christ  in  God  be  true,  its  results  in  the 
practical  daily  walk  and  conversation  ought  to    be 


TRUE  RELIGION.  237 

very  marked,  and  the  Christians  who  have  entered 
into  the  enjoyment  of  it,  ought  to  be,  in  very  truth, 
a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works.  Such 
Christians  must  walk  through  the  world  as  Christ 
walked.  They  must  have  the  mind  that  was  in  him. 
They  must  possess  meekness  and  quietness  of  spirit 
as  characteristics  of  the  daily  life.  With  a  sub- 
missive acceptance  of  the  will  of  God  in  his  dark 
and  mysterious  providences,  they  must  do  and  suffer 
all  the  good  pleasure  of  His  will ;  there  must  be 
calmness  and  trust  in  the  midst  of  turmoil,  so  as  to 
be  relieved  from  excessive  anxiety  and  solicitude. 
Christians  who  thus  walk  with  God  will  find  joy  and 
peace  in  believing.  They  will  enjoy  a  foretaste  of 
that  rest  which  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God  in 
heaven.  As  it  is  written  "  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 
ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man 
the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  Him.  But  God  hath  revealed  them  unto  us  by 
His  spirit." 


GOMLUSION. 


DIVINE  MESSAGE. 


SERMON. 


Text :  ''  I  have  a  message  from  God  unto  thee." 
"  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God.  Be  ready.  The  time  is 
fihort." 


INTRODUCTION. 


"  These  are  the  words  I  spake  nnto  you  while  I 
was  with  you,  that  after  my  decease  ye  might  have 
them  always  in  remembrance.'* 

(1)  PRECIOUS   TRUTH. 

The  Bible,  which  commands  all  virtue,  and  forbids 
all  sin,  was  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  to  make 
men  wiser,  better,  and  happier.     Bad  men  would  not 


CONCLUSION.  239 

make  such  a  book  of  holy  precepts,  examples,  and 
instructions,  to  condemn  themselves,  and  good  men, 
uninspired,  could  not  teach  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord," 
knowing  it  to  be  their  own  invention.  Therefore,  it 
was  written  by  '^  holy  men  of  God,  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,''  for  the  conversion  and 
sanctification  of  perishing  sinners. 

(2)  IMMORTALITY. 

Jesus  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light.  He 
said :  ^'  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live.  He  that  be- 
lieveth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he 
live."     He  shall  never  die. 

(3)  RESURRECTION. 

"  All  that  are  in  their  graves  shall  come  forth  ;  they 
that  have  done  good  unto  life,  and  they  that  have 
done  evil  unto  condemnation."  God  will  give  us 
spiritual  bodies,  suited  to  their  ofiSces,  "  for  He  doeth 
whatsoever  pleaseth  Him." 

(4)   JUDGMENT. 

"  After  death  the  judgment  "  of  every  work,  with 
every  thing,  good  or  evil.  ''  The  unjust  will  be  un- 
just still,  and  the  holy  will  be  holy  still." 

(5)      HOLINESS  SAFE.      SIN  DANGEROUS. 

Sin  and  suffering  exist  here,  under  God's  merciful 
government,  and  the  compassionate  Jesus  says,  here- 
after the  wicked  '^  shall  go  away  into  eternal  pun- 
ishment." 


240  CONCLUSION. 

(6)  SINS  OF  OMISSION. 

"  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not."  ''  All  have  sinned 
and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God,  being  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins.'' 

(7)   LOVE  IN  JUSTIFICATION. 

"  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him 
should  not  perish,"  "  By  the  law  none  shall  be  justi- 
fied, but  by  grace  through  faith."  *'  With  the  heart 
man  believeth  unto  righteousness." 

(8)   VICTORY  BY  FAITH. 

*'  Watch  and  pray  that  ye  enter  not  into  tempta- 
tion. God  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh 
the  world,  even  our  faith." 

(9)   WITNESS   OF  THE  SPIRIT. 

^'  We  know  that  we  love  God,  when  we  keep 
his  commandments,  and  they  are  not  grievous,"  when 
we  delight  to  do  His  will,  not  from  a  mere  sense  of 
duty.  If  we  find  our  experience  in  the  fifty-first 
Psalm,  and  in  the  eighth  of  Romans,  instead  of  the 
seventh,  "  we  know  that  God  abideth  in  us  by  the 
spirit  He  hath  given  us." 

(10)    HEAVEN. 

"  The  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the 
firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness, 
as  the  stars  forever  and  ever. 


CONCLUSION.  241 

human  questions  with  divine  answers, 
(appeal  to  the  impenitent.) 

1.  Why  are  you  not  a  Christian  ? 

"  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  might  have 
life." 

2.  Do   you    fear   what  others  may  say  of  you? 
*'  Whosoever  shall  be  ashamed  of  me,  of  him  shall 

the  Son  of  Man  be  ashamed." 

3.  Do  the  faults  of  professing  Christians  hinder 
you? 

*^  Every  one  of  us  shall  give  account  of  himself  to 
God." 

4.  Are  you  willing  to  be  lost,  because  the  worst 
of  professors  are  ? 

What  are  their  faults  to  you  ?     "  Follow  me,"  says 
our  Lord. 

5.  Are  you  unwilling  to  consecrate  all  to  Christ? 
"  What  shall  it  profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole 

world,    and  lose  his  own  soul?     He  that  forsaketh 
not  all  that  he  hath,  cannot  be  my  disciple." 

6.  Do  you  fear  that  you  will  not  be  accepted  ? 
"Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  of  the  water  of  life 

freely." 

7.  Do    you    fear    that    you    are    too    great     a 
sinner? 

"  If  we    confess,   and    forsake    our   sins,    He  will 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness." 

8.  Are  you  afraid  you  may  not  persevere  ? 

"  He  that  hath  begun    a  good  work  in  you,  will 
perform  it." 

9.  Do  you  trust  to  good  works? 

21 


242  CONCLUSION. 

"  The  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart,"  to  see  if  it  is 
your  supreme  aim  to  please  Him  in  all  things. 

*'  Whosoever  shall  offend  in  one  point  is  guilty  " 
and  condemned  for  breaking  the  law,  for  which 
morality  cannot  atone. 

10.  Do  you  ask  what  shall  I  do  ? 

'*  Repent  and  make  you  a  new  heart.  Believe  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.  He 
that  believeth  not,  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him. 
Pray  daily,  *  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,'  for 
Christ's  sake.'  " 

11.  Why  delay? 

"  Boast  not  thyself  of  to-morrow.  There  is  but  a 
step  between  thee  and  death." 

12.  When  should  you  begin  to  serve  God  ? 

'*  Choose  you  this  day."     "  Now  is  the  time." 

13.  What  more  can  be  done  for  you? 

"  What  could  have  been  done  more  than  has  been 
done?     Jesus  said,  '  It  is  finished.'  " 


SUPPLEMENT. 


A  SKETCH 


—  OF  THB  — 


LIFE    OF    REV.   WALTER    P.    DOE. 


«2l 


E 


This  brief  sketch  of  the  life  of  a  Christian  minister 
is  prepared  as  a  memorial  for  gratuitous  circulation 
among  his  relatives  and  others,  because  it  is  thought 
that  it  contains  some  hints  as  the  result  of  his  expe- 
rience, study  and  observation,  which  may  benefit  the 
living  and  instruct  and  stimulate  them  to  diligence 
in  the  Christian  life. 

At  the  same  time  it  is  designed  to  perpetuate  and 
disseminate  some  of  the  religious  and  reformatory 
truths  which  he  regarded  as  very  precious,  and  earn- 
estly endeavored  to  promote  by  example  and  oral 
address,  during  life,  so  that  after  his  decease  the 
living  may  realize  that  "  He  being  dead,  yet 
speaketh." 


iv  PREFACE. 

As  he  experienced  very  many  hindrances  in  life, 
which  prevented  him  from  accomplishing  all  the 
good  which  he  strongly  desired  to  do,  it  is  hoped 
that  the  teachings  and  motives  which  influenced  him 
may  stimulate  others  to  earnestness  in  doing  good, 
and  thus  perpetuate  his  Christian  and  ministerial 
usefulness. 

W.  P.  D. 

Providence,  R.  L,  January  1st,  1883. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Early  Life 1 

CHAPTER  IL 
Religions  Experience , ; . . .     2 

CHAPTER  III. 
Residence  in  New  York , 4 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Devotion  to  Revivals  and  Moral  Reform 5 

CHAPTER  V. 

Personal  Efforts  as  a  Layman 6 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Call  to  Preach 8 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Student  Life 10 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

Ministry 12 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Temperance 14 


vi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  X. 
Slaveiy  and  the  Civil  War 16 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Domestic  and  Pecuniary  Condition 18 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Physical  Disability , 20 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Fields  of  His  Ministry 21 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Faithfulness  in  View  of  Hindrances  ■ 24 

CHAPTER    XV. 
Reflections  and  Anticipations 30 

CONCLUSION. 
Rewards  Proportioned  to  Faithfulness < .  •  * «  32 


CHAPTER  I. 


EARLY  LIFE. 


Rev.  Walter  P.  Doe  was  born  at  Wilton,  near  Sar- 
atoga Springs,  N.  Y.,  on  the  30th  of  March,  A.  D., 
1813,  of  intelligent  and  energetic  parents  in  prosper- 
ous circumstances.  He  was  early  taught  the  princi- 
ples of  economy,  industry,  and  strict  morality. 

During  the  intervals  of  his  attendance  at  school, 
he  was  much  engaged  in  assisting  and  managing 
his  father's  extensive  business. 

After  finishing  his  preparatory  education  at  Johns- 
town Academy,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  engaged 
in  learning  the  mercantile  business,  in  Troy,  N.  Y. 


CHAPTER  11. 


RELIGIOUS  EXPERIENCE. 


Although  he  had  been  seriously  disposed  from 
early  youth,  and  had  always  designed  that  the  world 
should  be  the  better  for  his  having  lived  iu  it,  and 
had  believed  that  true  piety  was  of  inestimable  value 
and  importance,  in  reforming  the  life  and  in  affording 
consolation  in  affliction  as  well  as  in  furnishing  a  sus- 
taining liope  in  prospect  of  death,  he  was  hindered  for 
several  3^ears  from  engaging  personally  in  the  positive 
and  active  service  of  God  by  reason  of  the  mystery 
which  seemed  to  be  thrown  about  regeneration  by 
those  who  professed  to  have  experienced  it. 

But,  on  leaving  home  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the 
world,  he  was  the  subject  of  the  increasing  and 
special  strivings  of  the  Eloly  Spirit.  He  early  yielded 
to  His  influence,  and  decided  to  renounce  entirely  all 
reliance   upon   his   strict   morality   for  salvation  and 


RELIGIOUS  EXPERIENCE.  3 

trust  unreservedly  in  the  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  lead  a  benevolent,  prayerful,  penitent,  obedient 
and  holy  life. 

In  this  reasonable  and  wise  decision  to  enlist  for 
time  and  eternity  in  the  service  of  God,  and  in  striv- 
ing to  please  Him  in  all  things,  as  the  supreme  and 
controlling  purpose  of  life,  he  found  abiding  and  in- 
creasing peace  and  satisfaction. 

In  his  subsequent  experience,  he  endeavored  to 
obey  the  Divine  injunction,  "  Grow  in  grace  and  in 
the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.'' 
Hence,  in  his  Christian  warfare  with  temptation,  he 
was  graciously  sustained  by  faith  in  the  Divine  Re- 
deemer. He  aimed  supremely,  earnestly  and  per- 
petually at  entire  consecration  and  entire  holiness,  so 
as  to  walk  in  "  the  path  of  the  just,  which  is  as  the 
shining  light  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the 
perfect  day."  And  with  this  evidence  of  renewed 
and  sanctified  life  he  made  a  public  profession  of  his 
faith  in  Christ  on  the  first  of  January,  1832,  in  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  city  of  Troy, 
where  he  then  resided. 
22 


CHAPTER  III. 

KESIDENCE  IN  NEW  YORK. 

In  the  year  1833  he  removed  to  the  city  of  New 
York  to  engage  in  the  employment  of  those  dis- 
tinguished Christian  philanthropists  and  reformers, 
Messrs.  Arthur  Tappan  and  Company,  who  conducted 
one  of  the  very  largest  and  most  honorable  mercan- 
tile establishments  of  that  period.  Here  he  spent  a 
few  years  in  very  active  and  absorbing  business  pur- 
suits, and  the  employment  of  all  his  leisure  hours  in 
mental  culture,  by  choice  reading,  or  in  the  study  of 
human  nature,  which  the  increased  facilities  of  that 
populous  city  afforded. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

DEVOTION   TO  REVIVALS    AND   MORAL    REFORMS. 

In  this  new  relation  to  society  in  New  York,  he 
early  became  actively  identified  not  only  with  genu- 
ine and  powerful  revivals  of  true  religion,  but  having 
embraced  the  gospel  as  a  reformatory  and  progressive 
system,  he  entered  earnestly  into  the  benevolent  en- 
terprises and  great  Christian  reforms,  which  are 
designed  to  improve  the  condition  of  the  oppressed, 
degraded  and  vicious  classes  of  our  own  population, 
as  well  as  of  papal  and  heathen  countries.  From 
this  period,  not  only  the  bible  and  tract  causes,  but 
the  causes  of  domestic  and  foreign  missions,  and 
other  similar  societies,  ever  enlisted  his  warmest 
sympathies,  prayers,  efforts  and  contributions. 


CHAPTER   V. 

PERSONAL  EFFORTS   AS  A  LAYMAN. 

About  this  period,  through  the  influence  of  Harlan 
Page  and  other  devoted  laymen,  the  duties  and  en- 
couragements to  personal  efforts  for  the  salvation  of 
Bouls  began  to  be  more  than  usually  recognized  in 
the  churches,  and  were  greatly  blessed  in  the  con- 
version of  sinners.     As  might  have  been  expected  in 
his  youthful  earnestness,  he  entered  heartily  into  this 
commendable  work,  in  proportion  as  his  active  busi- 
ness engagements  permitted.     His  humble  efforts,  in 
the  Sabbath  School  and  in  his  tract  district,  as  well 
as  in  the  protracted  religious  meetings  in  periods  of 
of  revival    influences,    were    much    blessed   in     the 
awakening  and  conversion  of   several  persons  who 
have  occupied  influential  positions  as  ministers  and 
other  office  bearers,  as  well  as  active  private  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ.     In  order  to  be 
successful  in  this  work  of  faith  and  labor  of  love,  he 


PERSONAL  EFFORTS  AS  A  LAYMAN.  7 

maintained  that  Christians  should  be  in  a  very 
prayerful  and  spiritual  frame  of  mind,  so  as  to  realize 
the  very  great  importance  of  the  conversion  of  in- 
dividual sinners,  and  also  to  be  able  to  discriminate 
between  careless,  awakened  and  deeply  convicted 
sinners,  so  as  to  give  to  each  appropriate  instruction 
and  exhortation,  and  thus  secure  their  immediate 
conversion. 

He  maintained  that  Christians  should  seek  favor- 
able periods  for  exhorting  the  impenitent,  when  they 
are  at  leisure,  when  they  are  alone,  or  when  they  are 
in  affliction.  Also  that  the  manner  should  be  kind, 
earnest,  plain  and  faithful,  as  well  as  personal. 
Their  honest  difficulties  should  be  removed  as  far  as 
possible,  but  there  should  be  no  debate  in  reference 
to  caviling  objections.  If  the  sinner  refers  to  the 
difference  of  sentiments  among  Christian  denomina* 
tious,  he  should  be  shown  that  all  agree  that  faith  in 
Christ  is  the  only  way  to  be  saved.  If  he  refers  to 
the  faults  of  Christians,  he  should  be  urged  to  strive 
to  enter  the  strait  gate  for  himself.  He  should  be 
warned  faithfully  of  the  great  sin  of  practical  unbelief 
and  of  his  sins  of  omission,  as  well  as  of  his  great 
danger,  and  the  duty  of  immediate  trust  in  Christ  for 
salvation.  He  should  be  urged  to  renounce  immedi- 
ately and  entirely  all  his  worldly  idols  and  choose 
the  service  of  the  Lord,  heartily  forsaking  all  known 
and  willful  sins,  and  with  penitence  and  prayer  obey 
all  the  divine  requirements.  With  such  efforts  to 
save  sinners,  he  believed  that  Christians  of  moderate 
gifts  might  succeed  in  persuading  very  many  to 
choose  the  way  of  eternal  life. 
♦22 


CHAPTER    VI. 


CALL  TO  PREACH. 


And  it  was  while  sharing  in  precious  and  powerful 
revivals  of  religion,  as  the  result  of  pungent  preaching 
and  prayerful  personal  efforts,  that  he  thought  that 
he  received  a  divine  call  to  prepare  for  the  gospel 
nainistry.  But  as  providential  circumstances  seemed 
strongly  to  oppose  his  commencing  the  preparatory 
studies,  while  they  offered  very  flattering  and  bright 
prospects  for  becoming  permanently  and  successfully 
established  in  the  mercantile  business,  he  delayed  for 
a  few  years  the  great  change  in  his  pursuits.  But  he 
often  felt  himself  graciously  called  of  God,  as  was 
Aaron,  "  to  preach  the  gospel." 

His  feelings  and  experiences  were  like  those  of  the 
prophet  Jeremiah,  when  he  said,  *'  His  word  was  in 
my  heart,  as  a  burning  fire  shut  up  in  my  bones, 
and  I  was  weary  with  forbearing."  He  felt  also  like 
the  apostle  Paul,  when  he  said,   *'  Necessity  is  laid 


CALL  TO  PREACH.  9 

upon  me  ;  yea,  woe  is  me,  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel." 
He  felt  that  the  address  of  the  sacred  poet  to  the 
awakened  sinner  was  applicable  to  himself  in  respect 
to  his  divine  call  to  preach. 

"  Those  new  desires,  that  in  thee  burn, 
Were  kindled  by  His  grace." 

From  that  period,  through  the  remainder  of  his  ac- 
tive ministry,  until  the  decline  of  life  led  him  to  re- 
tire from  it,  he  always  had  an  inexpressible  earnest- 
ness and  unquenchable  passion  for  preaching  the 
"  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God."  He  felt  habit- 
ually that  he  had  rather  preach  the  gospel  than  to 
attain  the  greatest  riches  of  earth,  or  the  most  exalted 
human  honors  and  felicities,  or  govern  an  empire,  or 
sway  the  political  destinies  of  a  world.  With  such 
experiences,  he  consequently  determined  to  abandon 
his  flattering  pecuniary  prospects  of  permanently 
settling  in  New  York,  and  go  to  the  far  West,  and 
encounter  much  self-denial  and  privation  for  many 
years,  in  preparatory  study,  for  the  purpose  of  pur 
suing  through  life  the  humble  and  trying  duties  of 
the  Christian  ministry,  with  the  deliberate  expecta- 
tion of  very  meagre  pecuniary  support,  and  that  the 
experiences  of  his  profession  would  be  the  source  of 
the  keenest  sorrows  as  well  as  the  greatest  joys  of 
any  vocation  in  life.  And  these  anticipations  were 
fully  confirmed  in  his  subsequent  experience.  But 
he  always  felt  in  sympathy  with  the  apostle  Paul,  in 
the  exclamation:  ''I  thank  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  who 
hath  enabled  me,  for  that  he  counted  me  faithful, 
putting  me  into  the  ministry.'' 


CHAPTER  VII. 


STUDENT  LIFE. 


In  the  year  1837  he  began  his  preparatory  studies 
at  Quincy,  Illinois,  upon  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi, 
under  the  instructions  of  that  eminently  devoted 
minister  of  Christ,  Dr.  David  Nelson,  the  author  of 
the  ''Cause  and  Cure  of  Infidelity,"  one  of  the  most 
useful  and  interesting  books  ever  written.  During 
the  vacations  of  study  he  was  much  blessed  in  revi« 
vals  of  religion,  in  places  where  no  churches  or 
ministers  existed  in  that  new  country,  then  greatly 
destitute  of  the  means  of  grace.  Afterward  he 
entered  Oberlin  College,  Ohio,  and  was  greatly  bene- 
fitted by  the  instructions  and  influence  of  President 
Finney,  whom  he  always  regarded  as  one  of  the  most 
holy,  as  well  as  one  of  the  very  greatest  and  most 
effective   teachers  and  preachers.      But  in  1843,  in 


STUDENT  LIFE.  11 

consequence  of  the  death  of  his  father,  he  returned 
to  his  eastern  home,  in  Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.,  to 
assist  in  the  settlement  of  his  estate.  He  afterwards 
entered  Union  College  at  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  then 
under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Nott,  one  of  the  most 
eloquent  of  preachers,  and  a  teacher  of  human  na- 
ture of  great  sagacity,  where  he  graduated  in  1844. 
After  spending  three  years  at  Union  and  Andover 
Theological  Seminaries,  he  graduated  at  the  latter 
institution,  having  enjoyed  the  valuable  instructions 
of  Prof.  Park,  so  universally  then,  and  for  many 
years  subsequently,  recognized  as  the  most  erudite 
of  theological  teachers,  and  the  most  scholarly  and 
eloquent  of  preachers. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 


MINISTRY. 


He  was  ordained  in  1847  as  an  Orthodox  Congre- 
gational Minister  at  River  Point,  R.  I.  From  this 
period,  after  declining  different  calls  for  permanent 
settlement,  that  he  might  preach  in  different  places 
in  revivals,  he  alternately  occupied  the  position  of 
acting  pastor  of  different  churches,  or  visited  the 
destitute,  and  preached  much  of  the  time  at  his  own 
expense  as  an  Evangelist.  During  his  Academical, 
Collegiate  and  Theological  studies,  he  obtained  very 
clear  views  of  the  importance  and  practicability  of 
eminent  scriptural  holiness  in  both  the  ministry  and 
private  membership  of  the  church,  in  order  to  qualify 
them  for  the  greatest  efficiency  in  the  vineyard  of  the 
Lord.  Having  also  obtained  what  he  regarded  as 
sound   and  comprehensive  views  concerning    God's 


MINISTRY.  13 

paternal  moral  government  over  his  intelligent 
creatures,  and  his  readiness  to  grant  the  special  effu- 
sions of  His  spirit,  to  give  efficacy  to  appropriate, 
seasonable  and  pungent  preaching,  and  the  free 
agency  of  sinners  and  their  obligation  to  repent  and 
believe  on  Christ  ''  with  the  heart  unto  righteousness," 
and  choose  the  service  of  God  immediately,  his  min- 
istry was  almost  uniformly  effective. 

Being  an  eclectic  in  the  pursuit  of  the  most  efficient 
means  of  promoting  religion,  and  having  had  supe- 
rior advantages  for  studying  carefully  the  elements  of 
power  and  secrets  of  success  of  many  of  the  most 
effective  revival  preachers  of  the  present  century,  he 
came  early  to  the  conclusion  that  a  powerful  minis- 
try in  spiritual  results  must  be  a  pre-eminently  holy 
ministry,  and  be  constrained  by  the  love  of  Christ 
and  deep  compassion  for  perishing  sinners,  so  as  with 
good  judgment  and  discriminating  sagacity  to  aim 
at  and  strive  for,  and  confidently  expect  definite  re- 
sults in  the  revival  of  the  work  of  grace  in  the  hearts 
of  the  saints,  and  in  the  renewal  and  sanctification  of 
sinners. 


CHAPTER   IX. 


TEMPERANCE. 


He  adopted  in  early  life  the  strict  principles  of 
temperance  in  all  things, — the  moderate  use  of  things 
innocent  and  healthful,  and  total  abstinence  from  all 
things  intoxicating,  poisonous  and  injurious.  Hence 
he  abstained  not  only  from  the  use  of  all  intoxicat- 
ing drinks  as  a  beverage,  but  from  the  use  of  all  such 
narcotics  as  tobacco  in  any  of  its  forms,  and  from  the 
ordinary,  unhealthful  drinks  of  tea  and  coffee.  And 
by  such  strict  obedience  to  physical  law,  not  only  in 
diet  and  drinks,  but  in  sleeping,  cleanliness,  toil  and 
recreative  exercise,  as  well  as  by  endeavoring  to 
look  on  the  hopeful  side  of  the  future,  he  preserved 
in  a  great  degree  his  general  health  and  cheerfulness. 

And  when  any  phase  of  the  temperance  reforma- 
tion gave  encouragement  for  special  efforts  in  behalf 
of  moral  suasion,  or  legal  prohibition  of  the  sale  of 


TEMPERANCE.  16 

liquors,  he  was  accustomed  to  preach  and  publish  in 
its  favor,  and  he  believed  that  the  legislature  should 
authorize  each  town,  by  a  majority  at  a  special  meet- 
ing, to  decide  the  question  of  legal  prohibition,  dis- 
connected from  all  other  issues,  or  make  the  sellers 
of  liquor  legally  liable  for  all  the  damage  of  the  sale. 
And  he  often  spoke  in  public  and  private  against  the 
common  use  of  tobacco  as  an  injurious,  expensive 
and  filthy  habit,  paving  the  way  to  the  use  of  intoxi- 
eating  drinks  and  other  vicious  habits. 
23 


CHAPTER  X. 

SLAVERY  AND  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

In  all  the  fierce  conflicts  in  behalf  of  the  rights  of 
the  enslaved,  from  his  youth  and  from  the  very 
beginning  of  the  modern  agitation  for  more  than 
thirty  years,  he  bore  a  very  active  and  laborious  part 
in  his  sphere  of  life.  As  he  firmly  believed  that  our 
Lord's  golden  rule  showed  the  system  of  American 
Slavery  and  all  its  legal  enactments  and  natural  con- 
sequences to  be  sinful,  and  that  all  the  real  friends  of 
oppressed  humanity  should  plead  for  the  deliverance 
of  the  enslaved  as  they  would  rightfully  desire  them 
to  labor  for  their  freedom  if  the  white  race  were  in 
bondage,  he  maintained  their  cause  in  the  early  days 
of  the  discussion,  when  it  demanded  much  personal 
sacrifice.  He  also  advocated  the  cause  of  loyalty 
and  liberty,  from  the  pulpit  and  the  press,  during  the 
gloomy  disasters  to  our  arms,  when  the  conflict  had 
culminated  in  civil  war,  and  he  urged  a  petition  to 


SLAVERY  AND  THE  CIVIL  WAR.  17 

President  Lincoln  to  issue  the  Emancipation  Procla- 
mation about  the  time  he  did  issue  it,  which  not  only 
abolished  slavery  in  our  land,  but  secured  the  bless- 
ing of  the  Almighty  in  bringing  the  war  to  a  victo- 
rious termination  in  favor  of  impartial  freedom  and 
the  political  citizenship  of  the  colored  race. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

DOMESTIC  AND  PECUNIARY  CONDITION. 

In  bis  domestic  relations  he  was  highly  favored. 
Having  married  Miss  Sophia  S.  Knight,  of  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  in  1849,  who  "  looked  well  to  the  ways 
of  her  household,"  he  was  to  a  great  extent  relieved 
from  ordinary  family  anxieties  and  was  enabled  to 
give  himself  wholly  to  study  and  the  ministry  of  the 
word. 

His  pecuniary  condition  was  commonly  such  that 
he  was  not  distracted  from  the  duties  of  his  favorite 
profession  by  the  embarrassments  of  poverty  or  the 
care  of  riches.  But  while  enjoying  the  comforts  of 
a  moderate  competency  of  property,  with  economy 
and  careful  management  he  was  enabled  to  enjoy 
not  only  the  luxury  of  counseling  and  aiding  the 
poor  in  obtaining  employment,  but  in  some  measure 
to  relieve  their  immediate  necessities.  And  he  also 
had  the  pleasure  of  contributing  to  the  support  of 


DOMESTIC  AND  PECUNIARY  CONDITION.       19 

public  worship,  and  to  the  various  benevolent  socie- 
ties for  the  promotion  of  Christianity.  He  was  uni- 
formly punctual  in  the  payment  of  debts,  and  was 
never  in  the  habit  of  employing  others  to  do  for 
him  what  he  could  as  well  do  for  himself;  and  he 
never  was  in  the  habit  of  procrastinating  for  to- 
morrow the  work  which  might  as  well  be  done  to- 
day. He  was  accustomed  to  have  a  place  for  every- 
thing, and  to  keep  everything  in  its  appropriate 
place. 

♦23 


CHAPTER  XII. 


PHYSICAL  DISABILITY. 


Id  consequence  of  being  a  close  student  for  many 
years,  in  the  latter  part  of  life  lie  suffered  seriously 
from  inflammation  of  the  eyes,  and  hence  he  was  pre- 
vented for  several  years  from  assuming  any  position 
of  pastoral  responsibility  ;  and  yet  whenever  any 
opportunity  occurred  for  supplying  vacant  pulpits, 
or  for  preaching  among  the  poor  and  destitute  in 
scattered  communities,  he  improved  it — commonly 
with  little  or  no  pecuniary  compensation. 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

FIELDS   OF  HIS  MINISTRY. 

He  employed  his  ministry  chiefly  in  the  vicinity  of 
Providence,  R.  I.,  and  Saratoga  Springs,  New  York, 
where  his  family  relatives  resided.  In  each  of  these 
places  he  heartily  co-operated  in  the  organization  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Associations,  and  was  accus- 
tomed to  aid  personally  in  sustaining  their  daily  prayer 
meetings,  and  in  promoting  the  revivals  which  blessed 
those  places  through  their  influence  in  the  churches 
and  in  destitute  fields.  In  several  rural  districts  in 
the  vicinity  of  these  places,  he  expended  much 
gratuitous  missionary  labor.  And  while  encounter- 
ing many  hindrances  in  these  very  discouraging 
fields,  by  reason  of  the  general  apathy  of  the  people 
on  the  subject  of  religion,  he  was  in  such  cordial 
sympathy  with  all  Christians  of  the  different  evangel- 
ical denominations,  that  he  commonly  enjoyed  their 
confidence  and   co-operation,  so  that  his  preaching 


22  FIELDS  OF  HIS  MINISTRY. 

was  frequently  attended  by  the  divine  blessing  in  the 
awakening  and  conversion  of  many  sinners  among 
them. 

At  different  periods  he  ministered,  and  acted  as  pas- 
tor for  a  few  years,  to  large  rural  parishes  (geographi- 
cally considered),  in  the  vicinity  of  both  Providence 
and  Saratoga,  where  he  practically  and  successfully 
carried  out  his  favorite  theories  of  revivals,  home  evan- 
gelization, and  the  various  moral  reforms  which  he 
regarded  as  essentially  connected  with  and  as  the 
fruits  of  true  religion,  as  really  as  the  branches  are 
connected  with  the  trunk  and  constitute  a  part  of 
the  tree.  And  finding  his  own  peculiar  theories  and 
plans  so  uniformly  blessed  of  heaven,  in  promoting 
genuine  revivals  of  religion  and  home  evangelization 
in  the  rural  districts,  he  was  greatly  surprised  to  find 
it  so  difficult,  if  not  almost  impracticable  to  enlist 
the  more  conservative  ministers  and  churches  in  the 
city  and  village  where  he  resided  at  different  periods, 
in  special  and  successful  efforts  for  moral  reform  and 
the  salvation  of  men.  In  these  prosperous,  wealthy, 
and  fashionable  communities  the  competition  and 
rivalry  in  building  up  large  congregations  were  such, 
and  the  tendency  to  worldliness  was  so  great  in  the 
churches,  that  the  more  popular,  conservative  and 
attractive  ministers  were  commonly  sought  and  em- 
ployed, while  the  more  spiritual,  evangelical  and 
effective  were  in  less  demand.  Hence,  revivals 
were  less  common  and  less  powerful  than  in  places 
where  the  temptations  to  worldliness  and  conserva- 
tism were  not  so  great.  As  fascination  and  attract- 
iveness in  the  ministry  were  in  greater  demand  in 


FIELDS  OF  HIS  MINISTRY.  23 

such  places  than  preaching,  which  is  reproving  and 
saving,  the  ministry  seemed  in  some  measure  to  be 
tempted  to  seek  to  please  the  people  that  they  might 
be  employed  permanently,  rather  than  to  reform  their 
characters  and  save  their  souls. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

FAITHFULNESS  IN  VIEW  OF  HINDRANCES. 

With  his  strictly  puritanical,  religious  opinions, 
and  his  belief  that  his  Divine  Master  was  the  greatest 
and  most  perfect  example  of  progressive  and  religious 
moral  reformers,  to  be  followed  by  his  ministers,  in 
opposing  worldly  conformity  and  popular  sins,  which 
weaken  the  spiritual  power  of  the  church,  in  pro- 
moting vital  and  practical  godliness  among  the 
people  at  large,  he  found  many  and  formidable  obsta- 
cles to  the  effectiveness  of  his  ministry.  He  thought 
that  the  power  of  the  evangelical,  revival  and  re- 
formatory pulpit  in  the  United  States,  in  the  denomi- 
nations among  which  he  chiefly  labored,  and  after 
which  he  modeled  his  own  ministry,  culminated  be- 
tween the  years  1820  and  1840,  under  the  argumen. 
tative  and  pungent  appeals  of  such  ministers  as 
Drs.  Lyman  Beecher,  N.  W.  Taylor,  Asahel  Nettleton, 
N.  S.  S.  Beman,  E.  N.  Kirk  and  President  Finney. 


FAITHFULNESS  IN  VIEW  OF  HINDRANCES.       25 

Hence  he  followed  in  a  great  degree  their  example. 
In  common  with  many  of  the  most  successful  minis- 
ters, he  was  not  favored  with  a  brilliant  imagina- 
tion, but  relied  mainly  on  the  more  solid  and  plain 
truths  of  the  gospel  for  successful  preaching.  But 
he  found  that  the  increasing  prosperity,  luxury  and 
worldliness  of  the  period  of  his  own  ministry,  from 
1847  to  1870,  had  rendered  such  preaching  much 
less  acceptable  to  the  churches  and  congregations 
in  their  back-slidden  and  thoughtless  condition. 
Many  had  become,  in  the  language  of  Scripture 
"  high  minded,  lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  lovers 
of  God,  having  a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the 
power  thereof."  Under  these  circumstances,  he 
found  that  too  many  professing  Christians  were 
unwilling  to  make  such  sacritice  of  worldly  indulgence 
and  apathy  as  are  involved  in  genuine  revivals  of 
spiritual  religion,  and  therefore  faithful  and  reprov- 
ing preaching  was  unwelcome. 

In  order  to  be  popular  and  acceptable,  the  minister 
must  prophecy  smooth  things,  and  be  peculiarly  fas- 
cinating, pleasing  and  attractive,  even  though  he 
sacrifice  pungency  and  such  practical  application  as 
stings  the  conscience,  enforces  responsibility  and  re- 
reforms  the  life. 

Therefore,  concerning  such  revival  and  reforma- 
tory preaching,  many  said:  "This  is  a  hard  saying, 
who  can  hear  it?  "  And  for  such  as  were  unreason- 
ably fastidious  and  capricious,  his  ministry  had  com- 
paratively little  fascination  or  magnetic  attraction. 
And  under  such  discouraging  circumstances  in  efforts 
for  the  promotion  of  religion,  he  found  consolation 


26        FAITHFULNESS  IN  VIEW  OF  HINDRANCES. 

in  the  mysterious  and  righteous  sovereignty  and  suf- 
ferance of  Divine  Providence. 

"  For  promotion  cometh  neither  from  the  east,  nor 
from  the  west,  nor  from  the  south."  *^But  God  is  the 
judge,  He  putteth  down  one  and  setteth  up  another." 

A  man's  heart  deviseth  his  way,  but  the  Lord  di- 
recteth  his  steps."  Hence,  we  can  learn  that  success 
or  failure  in  connection  with  the  best  planned  and 
intended  efforts  for  promoting  religion,  as  in  all  other 
departments  of  human  endeavor,  often  transpire 
without  visible  or  apparently  adequate  causes. 

But  under  these  circumstances  of  increasing  dis- 
couragement and  self-denial  on  the  part  of  revival 
and  reformatory  ministers,  the  love  of  Christ  and 
compassion  for  perishing  sinners  constrained  him  to 
be  faithful  to  his  Master  and  precious  souls,  to  resist 
the  popular  current  of  laxity  and  worldliness,  and  to 
preach  with  much  boldness,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of 
much  professional  popularity  against  the  prevailing 
usages  and  sins  of  the  times.  For,  in  reference  to 
the  strange  and  formidable  hindrances  frequently  en- 
countered in  promoting  spiritual  religion,  and  in 
general  reformatory  work,  he  believed  God  apprecia- 
ted and  would  reward  good  intentions  and  faithful 
efforts  to  promote  his  own  glory.  ''  And  we  know 
that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God." 

And  we  know  that  it  is  a  great  source  of  consola- 
tion to  feel  assured  that  "  all  things  "  including  all 
our  afflictions  and  hindrances  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord,  shall  contribute  to  our  ultimate  welfare.  '^For 
our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  work- 


FAITHFULNESS  IN  VIEW  OF  HINDRANCES.        27 

eth  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight 
of  glory."  Says  a  good  commentator,  "  It  is  a  privi- 
lege to  suffer  for  the  welfare  of  the  Church."  Paul 
regarded  it  as  such,  and  rejoiced  in  the  trials  which 
came  upon  him  in  the  cause  of  religion.  The  Saviour 
so  regarded  it  and  shrank  not  from  the  greatest  sor- 
rows involved  in  the  work  of  saving  his  people." 
And  the  devoted  and  faithful  minister,  in  preaching 
the  gospel,  should  cheerfully  "  endure  hardness  as 
a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ." 

For  to  do  good,  to  defend  the  truth,  to  promote 
virtue,  to  save  the  souls  of  the  perishing,  is  worth  all 
that  it  costs;  and  he  who  accomplishes  these  things, 
by  exchanging  for  them  earthly  comforts,  has  made  a 
wise  exchange.  ^'  The  universe  gains  by  it  in  happi- 
ness, and  the  benevolent  heart  should  rejoice  that 
there  is  such  a  gain,  though  attended  with  his  indi- 
vidual and  personal  sufferings." 

Ministers  have  a  noble  office.  It  is  their  privilege 
to  make  known  to  men  the  most  glorious  truths  that 
can  come  before  the  human  mind,  and  which  are  re- 
vealed by  the  gospel.  Their  business  is  not  to  strive, 
like  the  selfisii  devotees  of  the  world,  for  mere  gold, 
and  honor,  and  worldly  pleasures,  but  to  show  every 
man  that  he  has  a  fcaviour  ;  that  there  is  a  hell  to 
shun,  and  a  heaven  to  obtain,  and  to  "  present  every 
man  perfect  before  God."  With  all  its  sacrifices  and 
self-denials  therefore,  it  is  an  inestimable  privilege  to 
be  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  For  there  is  no  man 
who  diffuses  through  a  community  so  much  solid 
happiness ;  there  is  no  man,  the  result  of  whose  la- 
bors reaches  so  far  into  future  ages.  lu  such  a  work 
24 


28        FAITHFULNESS  IN  VIEW  OF  HINDRANCES. 

it  is  a  privilege  to  exhaust  our  strength  ;  in  the  per- 
formance of  the  duties  of  such  an  oflSce,  it  is  our 
honor  to  wear  out  life  itself.  Doing  this,  a  nnan 
when  he  comes  to  die  will  feel  that  he  has  not  lived 
in  vain  ;  whether  his  sphere  of  faithful  service  be 
limited  by  circumstances  beyond  his  control,  or 
whether  he  has  been  called  in  the  order  of  providence 
to  the  widest  and  most  extended  spheres  of  influence. 
"  For  unto  whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall 
much  be  required."  ''  It  is  required  of  a  steward 
that  a  man  be  found  faithful."  Such  considerations 
as  these  encouraged  this  minister  of  Christ,  whose 
life  is  here  sketched,  to  faithfulness,  amidst  formida- 
ble obstacles  and  multiplied  and  repeated  hindrances 
in  preaching  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God 
to  perishing  sinners. 

He  was  strongly  impressed  with  the  solemnity  and 
force  of  Saint  Paul's  charge  to  Tiraotliy  in  view  oi 
an  approaching  judgment :  ''  Preach  the  word,  be 
instant  in  season,  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort,  with  all 
long  suffering  and  doctrine.  But  watch  thou  in  all 
things,  endure  afl^lictions,  do  the  work  of  an  evange- 
list, make  full  proof  of  thy  ministry."  While  this 
minister  of  Christ  cherished  an  humble  hope  through 
grace  of  admission  to  heaven  to  enjoy  the  presence 
of  every  conceivable  blessing,  and  the  absence  of 
every  evil,  and  participation  in  the  joys  of  '^just  men 
made  perfect,"  who  have  been  faithful  in  their  efforts 
to  turn  men  from  sin  to  holiness,  he  experienced  in 
the  present  life,  something  of  the  vagueness  and 
hopelessness  of  all  human  aspirations. 

Although  by  God's  favoring  providence,  he  thought 


FAITHFULNESS  IN  VIEW  OF  HINDRANCES.      29 

that  his  innocent  and  rational  desires  through  life 
had  been  much  more  fully  gratified  than  is  common 
in  the  experience  of  the  majority  of  mankind,  yet 
from  the  midst  of  his  ordinary  cares,  fears  and  griefs, 
he  plainly  saw  that  the  day  would  never  come  in  the 
present  life  in  which  cares,  griefs  and  fears  would 
not  surround  him,  and  therefore  he  desired  "  a  better 
country,  that  is  a  heavenly,"  where  such  experiences 
should  be  ended.  Though  all  the  rest  of  the  uni- 
verse were  given  him  to  choose  from,  he  realized 
that  he  could  not  find  a  place  or  condition  where  he 
could  enjoy  perpetual  peace  and  rest. 

He  was  convinced  that  if  he  could  have  all  that 
this  world  could  yield  him,  for  the  naming  of  it,  so 
that  every  present  desire  should  be  gratified  to  the 
utmost,  his  weary  soul  would  soon  be  found  as  far 
from  rest  as  ever.  For  he  knew  that  it  was  not  in 
the  power  of  the  world  to  furnish  men  with  perfect 
happiness,  because  "this  is  not  our  rest."  ^' But 
there  remaineth  a  rest  for  the  people  of  God."  Hence 
he  hoped  for  special  grace  at  the  termination  of  this 
mortal  life  to  exclaim  with  the  inspired  Psalmist,  "  Re- 
turn unto  thy  rest,  0  my  soul,  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt 
bountifully  with  thee."  And  with  the  Apostle  to  say, 
"  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of 
my  departure  is  at  hand.  I  have  fought  a  good  figlit, 
I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith. 
Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  right- 
eousness, which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall 
give  me  at  that  day,  and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all 
them,  also,  that  love  his  appearing." 


CHAPTER   XY. 

REFLECTIONS  AND  ANTICIPATIONS. 

Amid  the  strong  temptations  by  which  he  was  sur- 
rounded, he  felt  the  need  of  constant  and  large  meas- 
ures of  divine  grace  to  preserve  him  in  the  narrow 
pathway  of  holiness,  that  he  might  be  a  minister  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  that  he  might  by  patient  con- 
tinuance in  well  doing,  seek  for  glory  and  honor  and 
immortality  and  eternal  life. 

And  in  proportion  as  he  manifested  the  spirit  of 
his  Divioe  Master  amidst  ordinary  human  infirmities, 
and  was  faithful  in  preaching  the  glorious  gospel  of 
the  blessed  God,  let  his  ministerial  brethren  and 
Christian  friends  be  stimulated  by  his  example  to 
greater  earnestness  in  promoting  the  divine  glory  in 
saving  souls.  For  God  has  said,  "  They  that  be  wise 
shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament,  and 
they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  for- 
ever and  ever." 


REFLECTIONS  AND  ANTICIPATIONS.  31 

During  his  Chistian  life,  he  aimed  supremely  to 
please  his  Heavenly  Father.  He  aimed  to  glorify 
Christ  who  died  to  save  him  from  sin  and  its  dread- 
ful penalty.  He  earnestly  endeavored  to  follow  His 
perfect  example  in  all  the  experiences  and  pursuits 
of  life.  It  was  his  controlling  purpose  to  make  the 
purifying  and  transforming  religion  of  his  Redeemer 
known  as  far  as  possible  through  his  influence  among 
mankind  in  Christian  and  heathen  lands.  He  aimed 
to  so  live  as  to  enjoy  habitual  cummunion  with  his 
Divine  Redeemer,  and  derive  his  comfort  and  conso- 
lation from  Him.  And  when  such  a  man  comes  to 
die,  has  he  not  reason  to  rejoice  in  view  of  the  con- 
trolling purposes  of  his  past  life,  and  in  the  hope  of 
admission  to  his  Saviour's  more  immediate  personal 
presence  in  heaven,  freed  from  sin  and  suffering? 
May  we  not,  therefore,  trust  that  for  such  a  man  to 
die  is  gain  ? 

*24: 


CONCLUSION. 

REWARDS  PROPORTIONED  TO  FAITHFULNESS. 

While  all  Christians  should  be  constrained  by  the 
love  of  Christ  and  compassion  for  the  perishing,  to 
labor  diligently,  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the 
poor  and  the  suffering,  as  well  as  to  promote  the 
holiness  of  their  brethren  and  the  conversion  of  sin- 
ners, yet  like  Moses,  they  may  be  encouraged  to  per- 
severance in  doing  good  by  "  having  respect  unto  the 
recompense  of  reward."  They  may  be  stimulated  to 
increased  zeal  in  every  good  work,  by  the  considera- 
tion that  personal  holiness  and  active  usefulness  shall 
be  the  measure  of  the  final  reward  of  the  saints  in 
heaven.  For  it  is  written  on  the  pages  of  inspira- 
tion, *'  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  bright- 
ness of  the  firmament,  and  that  they  turn  many  to 
righteousness  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever." 

We  have  the  assurance  that  all  who,  in  this  life 
were  humble  followers  of  the  Divine  Redeemer,  and 


CONCLUSION.  33 

by  imitating  him  became  eminently  holy,  and  who 
went  about  doing  good,  "  shall  be  admitted  to  heaven 
with  his  rapturous  approval,  "  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 
"  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in 
the  kingdom  of  their  father." 

But  among  the  numerous  and  highly  favored  com- 
pany who  have  been  ransomed  by  the  blood  of  the 
cross,  and  sing  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb: 
"  Unto  Him  that  loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  his  own  blood,  to  Him  be  glory  and  do- 
minion forever  and  ever,"  "  there  are  different  de- 
grees of  glory  and  blessedness.  There  is  one  glory 
of  the  sun,  and  another  glory  of  the  moon,  and 
another  glory  of  the  stars,  for  one  star  differeth  from 
another  star  in  glory.  So  also  is  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead." 

While  all  who  have  been  justified  by  faith  in 
Christ's  atonement  in  life  shall,  in  the  life  to  come, 
be  free  from  sin  and  suffering  among  ''  the  spirits  of 
just  men  made  perfect,"  there  will  be  different  de- 
grees of  happiness  in  the  heavenly  world.  Some  in 
the  lower  types  of  piety,  who  have  done  but  little  in 
their  Lord's  vineyard  are  "  saved  so  as  by  fire." 
Although  they  are  delivered  from  all  positive  evil, 
they  are  only  prepared  for  a  low  position,  for  com. 
paratively  a  very  moderate  degree  of  enjoyment. 
While  others  of  eminent  holiness  and  greater  capaci- 
ties, and  who  have  spent  a  life  of  greater  devotion 
and  of  more  active  faithfulness  in  the  service  of  their 
Divine  Master,  shall  be  elevated  to  higher  and  more 
rapturous  felicity.     "  Wherefore,  rather  brethren  give 


34  CONCLUSION. 

dillgeDce  to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure,  so 
an  entrance  shall  be  ministered  unto  you  abundantly 
into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ." 

Some  are  barely  saved,  while  others  are  welcome 
to  higher  seats  in  glory.  And  this  diversity  in  glory 
and  happiness  among  the  saints  hereafter  will  be  both 
occasioned  and  measured  by  the  difference  in  their 
holiness  and  usefulness  in  this  life. 

^'  He  which  soweth  sparingly  shall  reap  also  spar- 
ingly, and  he  which  soweth  bountifully  shall  reap 
also  bountifully."  "  Behold  1  come  quickly  and  my 
reward  is  with  me,  to  give  every  man  according  as 
his  work  shall  be."  *'  If  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign 
with  him."  "  In  Christ's  parable  of  the  pounds, 
which  was  evidently  intended  to  convey  to  us  some 
knowledge  of  our  final  judgment  (observes  a  writer) 
we  find  that  the  reward  bestowed  by  the  nobleman 
upon  his  servants  entrusted  with  the  same  deposit, 
w^as  in  every  case  exactly  measured  by  the  improve- 
ment that  they  made  of  it.  The  man  who  turned  his 
trust  to  a  two  fold  improvement,  and  he  who  gained 
with  his  pound  five  others,  were  rew  rded  success- 
ively by  a  ten  and  five-fold  authority.  And  these 
facts  in  reference  to  heaven,  as  they  are  revealed  for 
our  encouragement  and  warning,  so  are  they  to  this 
end  frequently  employed  by  the  sacred  penman. 
Therefore  we  need  not  hesitate  to  contemplate  such 
motives,  as  a  stimulus  to  Christian  holiness  and 
activity,  because  in  some  minds  they  might  thus 
weaken  their  belief  in  that  great  cardinal  truth  of 
justification  by   faith  alone.     But  the  Apostles  and 


CONCLUSION.  35 

early  Christians  had  no  such  fear.  They  were  covet- 
ous for  a  high  place  in  heaven  for  all  among  whom 
they  labored,  and  knowing  that  this  was  the  reward 
of  faithfulness  here,  they  were  constantly  stimulating 
their  hearers  by  such  a  prize  to  a  life  of  holiness  and 
usefulness."  By  this  motive  they  pointed  even  their  ex- 
hortations to  pecuniary  liberality,  the  very  lowest  and 
easiest  form  of  beneficence.  ''Charge  them  that  are  rich 
in  this  world  that  they  do  good,  that  they  be  rich  in 
good  works,  ready  to  distribute,  willing  to  communi- 
cate, laying  up  in  store  for  themselves  a  good  founda- 
tion against  the  time  to  come,  that  they  may  lay  hold 
on  eternal  life.  A  radical  distinction,  however, 
should  in  this  connection  be  observed  between  the 
prize  held  out  to  the  Christian,  and  all  the  glory  and 
greatness  of  this  world.  In  the  present  life  the 
highest  objects  of  ambition,  and  those  which  men 
most  eagerly  strive  after,  are  such  as  by  their  nature 
can  only  be  obtained  by  a  few.  That  there  should 
be  any  who  are  wealthy,  powerful  and  celebrated, 
implies  a  necessity  that  there  should  be  others  who 
are  poor,  subject  and  obscure.  That  all,  or  even  the 
greater  part  of  any  community  should  be  rich  men  or 
rulers,  or  eminent,  is  not  only  impossible,  but  incon- 
ceivable. But  this  is  not  so  of  that  prize  which 
should  excite  the  ambition  of  God's  people."  A  few 
cannot  win  it  to  the  exclusion  of  the  rest.  The  ele- 
vation of  one  saint  in  heaven  does  not  imply  the  de- 
pression of  another.  The  power,  and  splendor,  and 
riches  of  that  better  world  may  be  enjoyed  by  an 
unlimited  number,  and  by  each  in  proportion  to  his 
fitness  for  it. 


36  CONCLUSrOI^. 

In  the  race  f()r  the  most  worldly  objects,  ''  they 
which  run,  run  all,  but  one  receiveth  the  prize,"  but 
in  the  pursuit  of  heavenly  blessings,  all  may  ''so  run 
as  to  obtain."  Here  then  is  the  motive  with  which 
we  would  now  urge  Christian  believers  to  a  closer 
walk  with  God.  No  real  progress  in  religion,  no  in. 
crease  of  personal  holiness  ever  made  in  this  world, 
will  be  unnoticed  or  unrewarded  by  God. 

"Growing  in  grace  here  and  ever  ascending  in  moral 
character  nearer  and  nearer  to  God,  we  are  thus  con- 
tinually adding  new  jewels  to  the  crown  of  our  ever- 
lasting rejoicing,  and  preparing  for  ourselves  a  high 
place  of  glory  and  blessedness  in  heaven." 

*'  In  some  fair  and  jeweled  crown, 
That  to  the  blest  redeemed  is  given, 
Are  stars  that  cast  their  brightness  down. 
Loveliest  among  the  gems  of  heaven.' 

It  is  the  diadem  he  wears  whose  whole  character 
on  earth  has  been  the  most  perfectly  transformed 
into  the  image  of  Christ.  "  For  so  an  entrance  shall 
be  ministered  unto  you  abundantly,  into  the  ever- 
lasting kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ."  Thus  (as  a  forcible  writer  has  observed)  ^'we 
are  saved  by  grace  (without  personal  merit  on  our 
part),  and  all  the  glory  of  salvation  will  belong  to 
Christ.  Yet  our  felicity  in  heaven  is  connected  with 
our  holiness  and  our  works  on  earth.  By  eminent 
attainments  in  personal  holiness  and  earnest  and  per-* 
severing  efforts  in  advancing  the  cause  of  Christ 
we  are  made  to  reflect  his  glory."  Those  who  heard 
of  the  conversion  of  Saul,   **  glorified  God  in  him." 


CONCLUSION.  37 

All  holy  beings  will  glorify  God  in  the  redeemed 
from  among  men.  As  enjoying  a  peculiar  felicity 
themselves,  and  as  being  instrumental  in  reflecting 
the  glory  of  God,  "they  that  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness shall  shine  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever." 
They  will  have  an  eminence  in  glory,  and  bliss  above 
the  other  inhabitants  of  heaven.  No  privilege  did 
God  ever  commit  to  created  intelligences,  equal  to 
that  of  laboring  for  the  salvation  of  men.  The  re- 
ward of  Christians  for  turning  sinners  to  righteous- 
ness is  somewhat  in  proportion  to  the  value  of  the 
soul.  A  soul  saved;  what  misery  has  it  escaped! 
What  joy  awaits  it  in  the  interminable  future!  What 
can  give  Christians  more  joy  than  tiie  recollection  of 
labors,  sacrifices,  and  prayers,  by  which  others  were 
saved?  "There  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels 
of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth."  What  joy 
then  must  the  saint  experience  in  spending  an  eterni- 
ty in  company  with  those  who  have  been  brought  to 
heaven  through  his  instrumentality.  He  will,  in  a 
sense,  enjoy  all  the  bliss  that  they  enjoy,  and  all  the 
glory  that  they  reflect  upon  Christ;  next  to  that 
which  the  redeemed  will  feel  toward  the  triune  God, 
will  be  the  gratitude  which  they  will  feel  toward 
those  who  are  instrumental  in  turning  them  to  right- 
eousness. 

O,  how  different  the  gains  of  those  who  labor  for 
the  treasures  of  earth,  from  the  gains  of  those  who 
labor  to  turn  many  to  righteousness !  There  is  no 
certainty  of  the  continued  enjoyment  of  earthly 
pleasures.  All  such  eujoyment  must  be  brief.  "  But 
they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  shall  shine  as 


38  CONCLUSION. 

the  stars  forever  and  ever."  Not  only  bright,  but 
everlasting  J03^s,  are  in  reserve  for  them.  O,  how 
glorious  the  prospect  that  beams  upon  their  vision^ 
when  they  finish  their  course  and  are  about  entering 
upon  their  reward  !  They  are  cheered  in  anticipa- 
tion of  the  fulfillment  of  the  gracious  prom.ises  and 
final  commendations  of  their  Redeemer.  "  Be  thou 
faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of 
life."  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter 
thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 

It  has  been  well  said  that  ''  we  all  desire  glory." 
Men  secure  their  highest  glory  by  leading  sinners  to 
Christ.  It  was  the  ambition  of  Jesus  to  save  men. 
For  this  He  laid  aside  "  the  glory  He  had  with  the 
Father  before  the  world  was,"  that  He  might  attain 
to  this  other  glory.  Men  are  invited  to  share  a  de- 
gree of  this  glory.  His  glory  is  absolute,  while  ours 
is  relative.  This  is  not  salvation  by  works.  Every 
citizen  has  the  specific  rights  of  citizenship,  but  su- 
perior service  alone  can  secure  him  eminence.  Men 
become  citizens  of  the  spiritual  kingdom  by  faith, 
while  special  honor  comes  from  noble  service — 
which  is  great  in  degree  as  well  as  in  nature.  Wise 
working  to  overcome  great  cli,fficulties,  for  an  impor- 
tant end,  brings  great  honor  and  enduring  fame.  To 
save  the  world  requires  all  this,  hence  the  glory  of 
success.  In  this  we  do  not  deal  with  material  sub- 
stances. The  painter  and  sculptor  deal  with  passive 
matter,  while  soul  savers  have  to  deal  with  tiee 
spirits.  Men  with  backs  towards  God,  and  faces 
towards  hell,  are  to  be  aroused  and  turned  about, 
against   their  inclinations    and  wills.     Their    closed 


CONCLUSION.  39 

ranks  are  to  be  broken,  and  they  are  to  be  saved  one 
by  one—torn  out  of  their  chosen  relations  and  placed 
among  people  of  another  spirit 

For  this  work  of  faith,  and  labor  of  love,  there  is 
^  glorious  reward.  ''  And  they  that  be  wise  shall 
shine  as  the, brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and  they 
that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  forever 
and  ever."  That  you  may  more  highly  appreciate 
■this  divine  promise,  go  in  the  cloudless  night,  when 
the  firmament  of  heaven  is  radiant  with  a  thousand 
stars,  gaze  upward  till  your  soul  is  overwhelmed 
with  the  inexpressible  glory  that  surrounds  you ; 
then  remember  it  is  only  the  type  of  glory  that 
awaits  the  faithful  minister  in  the  future  world.  But 
before  he  shall  attain  this  blessedness,  God  will  give 
him  a  foretaste  of  what  is  to  come.  The  final  ap- 
proval of  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  scrvaiit," 
may  be  reserved  to  the  last  day,  when  the  seals  and 
trophies  of  his  ministry  shall  appear  with  him  in 
glory;  but  even  on  earth,  mingling  with  his  suffer- 
ings and  toil,  communion  with  the  Father,  Son  and 
{Spirit,  and  the  sweet  consciousness  of  a  successful  in- 
strumentality in  the  conversion  of  great  multitudes  of 
sinners,  will  constitute  an  amount  of  blessedness  far 
transcending  the  enjoyment  of  men  who  live  for  this 
world,  without  God  and  the  Christian  hope. 

Truly  in  keeping  the  commandments  of  God,  there 
is  great  reward.  We  read  that  ''one  star  (Jitlerctli 
from  another  star  in  glory.''  Each  star  has  it.-^  glory. 
But  he  who  has  turned  many  to  righteousness,  shall 
become  a  central  star  in  a  constellation  of  glorified 
spirits,  saved  by  his  instrumentality.  Each  shall  re- 
25 


40  CONCLUSION. 

fleet  his  proper  light,  but  he  shall  shine  with  peculiar 
lustre  and  brilliancy,  as  the  brightness  of  the  firma- 
ment in  the  kingdom  of  God,  ''  forever  and  ever, 
when  sun,  moon  and  stars  wax  old,  and  pass  away 
from  the  firmament." 

"  See  in  heaven  the  faithful  preacher, 

With  the  seals  of  his  reward ; 
How  they  throng  to  bless  the  teacher, 

Who  had  led  them  to  the  Lord ! 
Wise  to  save ! — a  sunlike  lustre 

Brightens  all  their  home  divine ; 
As  the  stars — a  radiant  chister — 

Tliey  in  endless  glory  shine!  " 

Behold  the  "unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.''  As  a 
writer  has  observed,  "Not  only  does  He  forgive  and 
save,  but  He  notices  with  an  approving  eye  every- 
thing that  His  people  do  for  Him.  He  records  their 
every  word  and  act,  put  forth  on  His  behalf,  and 
even  the  most  trivial  service  rendered  to  the  ob- 
scurest of  His  followers.  These  He  will  recall,  and 
crown  with  imperishable  rewards  at  the  last  day. 
And,  for  your  comfort,  remember  that  the  reward  will 
be  proportioned,  not  to  your  talents  and  opportuni- 
ties, but  to  the  use  you  make  of  them;  not  to  what 
you  accomplish,  but  to  what  you  try  to  accomplish  ; 
not  to  the  harvest  you  may  reap  here,  but  to  the 
seed  you  may  sow.  'Every  man  shall  receive  his 
own  reward,  according  to  his  own  labor.'  Not  ac- 
cording to  his  gifts,  not  according  to  his  successes, 
not  according  to  the  worldly  applause  he  may  have 
won,  but  '  according  to  his  labor.'     Only  be  faithful 


CONCLUSION.  41 

to  your  trust.  Work  from  no  sordid  motive.  Let 
the  love  of  Christ  constrain  you  to  devote  all  your 
powers  to  His  service,  and  wlien  the  labor  of  the 
day  is  over  and  you  go  up  to  the  great  harvest-home, 
you  will  be  satisfied.  *  Heaven  and  earth  may  pass 
away/  but  '  you  shall  in  no  wise  lose  your  reward.' 
You  may  be  assured  that  every  good  act  of  your  life, 
every  kind  word  you  may  utter,  every  act  of  charity 
you  may  bestow  however  trifling,  every  tear  you 
may  prevent  the  shedding  of,  through  sympathy  with 
human  suffering  or  otherwise,  every  pang  of  pain  or 
sigh  of  distress  you  may  alleviate,  will  increase  your 
joy  and  blessedness  in  your  heavenly  home." 

You  are  daily  malsing 

The  robes  that  you  will  own. 
In  the  realms  of  light  and  beauty. 

And  their  splendor  will  be  known 

By  every  deed  of  kindness, 

Your  many  acts  of  love, 
To  earth's  weary,  stricken  children, 

Retlected  all  above. 

When  you  raise  a  fallen  brother 

Who  has  stumbled  by  the  way, 
A  robe  of  light  is  woven, 

Fraught  with  a  heavenly  ray. 

When  you  strive  to  banish  error, 

To  crush  out  weakness  (sin) 
You  are  making  golden  sandals 

With  which  to  enter  in 

Those  regions  of  the  blessed, 

Which  will  in  time  be  thine. 
And  charity  foi  other^s 

A  veil  will  then  entwine, 


42  CONCLUSION". 

To  shield  perhaps  the  weaker. 

And  as  you  then  embrace, 
This  friend  or  stranger, 

A  web  of  finest  lace 

Is  yours  for  any  purpose 
That  you  may  need  employ. 

But  the^me  of  prizes  truly, 
Which  gives  the  greatest  joy. 

Is  the  necklace  on  your  bosom — 
Of  pearls,  a  priceless  gem. 

And  the  crown  upon  your  head, 
A  wondrous  diadem. 

Whence  comes  it  you  will  ask  me, 
It  is  the  tears  you've  shed 

In  lowly,  sad  contrition, 
When  by  the  master  led. 

You  have  seen  your  sins  as  scarlet. 
With  tears  have  washed  them  white, 

Now,  as  reflected  jewels. 
As  radiant  beams  of  light. 

They  are  yours  if  you  have  earned  them 
Each  garment  that  yoti  wear; 

So  weave  in  earnest, 

^Vith  thought  and  anxious  care. 

For  those  we  cannot  borrow. 

Nor  beg,  or  steal  or  lend. 
We  clothe  by  our  own  effort. 

Pray  God  the  grace  to  send 

To  clothe  our  spirits  rightly 

With  humility  and  love, 
Tiiat  we  may  be  accepted 

Of  God— who  reigns  above. 


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